An Exploratory Review of Bangladesh Gas Sector: Latest Evidence and Areas of Further Research

This paper reviews and explores the latest evidence from the gas sector of Bangladesh and highlights areas that would benefit from further research. The study reported actual consumption of gas by different sectors; projection of demands by various studies and plan documents; estimates of gas reserves and potential by various studies; and operation of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Bangladesh.Gas Sector, Bangladesh

Cyclotron Resonance in the Layered Perovskite Superconductor Sr2RuO4

We have measured the cyclotron masses in Sr2RuO4 through the observation of periodic-orbit-resonances - a magnetic resonance technique closely related to cyclotron resonance. We obtain values for the alpha, beta and gamma Fermi surfaces of (4.33+/-0.05)me, (5.81+/-0.03)me and (9.71+/-0.11)me respectively. The appreciable differences between these results and those obtained from de Haas- van Alphen measurements are attributable to strong electron-electron interactions in this system. Our findings appear to be consistent with predictions for a strongly interacting Fermi liquid; indeed, semi-quantitative agreement is obtained for the electron pockets beta and gamma.Comment: 4 pages + 3 figure

Development of maritime education and training for ratings in Bangladesh : a proposed path to the next century

This dissertation focuses on the maritime education and training system for ratings in Bangladesh, under the prevailing shipping environment. The paper discusses the present situation and highlights the difficulties being experienced in attempting to upgrade the system particularly in the areas of employment, education and training. The investigation identifies a number of factors inhibiting the development that is needed to overcome the current shortage of qualified ratings. These include a lack of policy initiatives in the promotional field, inadequate appraisal of human resource development in the maritime sector, a lack of administrative and industry support, inadequate legislation, poor training facilities and a shortage of qualified instructors. The project focuses on the vital need for chanqes in the present system in the light of the technological advancements and legal developments taking place in the maritime world. Examination is made of training systems in the U.K., Germany, Australia and Japan, where administrations have been forced to restructure their approach to ratings training to meet the challenges of new technology and economic competition. On the basis of this investigation, the dissertation proposes changes in the current Bangladesh system through the adoption of a multi-skilled training, which would provide flexibility and mobility to Bangladeshi ratings seeking career development at sea as well as in other related industries. It also specifies the need for the continued upgrading of seafarer education. In Conclusion, recommendations are offered as to measures that might be taken to ameliorate some of the problems faced by the declining community of Bangladeshi seafarers

Trend in Global Environmental Pollution

The context of environmental pollution especially economic development being associated to each other studied. Time series data for several years are studied, analyzed and used to develop statistical models and inferred for helping the planners. The models for environmental problem areas of greenhouse gas emission, noise pollution, plastic pollution, municipal waste, fertilizer pollution and industrial process pollution show consistent increasing. The models of environmental problem areas of the aspects of safe drinking water, safe sanitation, life expectancy and death rate show consistent improvement. It is recommended that the measures to prevent the environmental problems must be mad as inbuilt into the relevant project body and must be implemented

Critical fluctuation conductivity in layered superconductors in strong electric field

The paraconductivity, originating from critical superconducting order-parameter fluctuations in the vicinity of the critical temperature in a layered superconductor is calculated in the frame of the self-consistent Hartree approximation, for an arbitrarily strong electric field and zero magnetic field. The paraconductivity diverges less steep towards the critical temperature in the Hartree approximation than in the Gaussian one and it shows a distinctly enhanced variation with the electric field. Our results indicate that high electric fields can be effectively used to suppress order-parameter fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

The treatment of achalasia patients with esophageal varices: an international study

Background: Treatment options for achalasia include endoscopic and surgical techniques that carry the risk of esophageal bleeding and perforation. The rare coexistence of esophageal varices has only been anecdotally described and treatment is presumed to carry additional risk. Methods: Experience from physicians/surgeons treating this rare combination of disorders was sought through the International Manometry Working Group. Results: Fourteen patients with achalasia and varices from seven international centers were collected (mean age 61 9 years). Five patients were treated with botulinum toxin injections (BTI), four had dilation, three received peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), one had POEM then dilation, and one patient underwent BTI followed by Heller’s myotomy. Variceal eradication preceded achalasia treatment in three patients. All patients experienced a significant symptomatic improvement (median Eckardt score 7 vs 1; p < 0.0001) at 6 months follow-up, with treatment outcomes resembling those of 20 non- cirrhotic achalasia patients who underwent similar therapy. No patients had recorded complications of bleeding or perforation. Conclusion: This study shows an excellent short-term symptomatic response in patients with esophageal achalasia and varices and demonstrates that the therapeutic outcomes and complications, other than transient encephalopathy in both patients who had a portosystemic shunt, did not differ to disease-matched patients without varices

Frustrated kinetic energy, the optical sum rule, and the mechanism of superconductivity

The theory that the change of the electronic kinetic energy in a direction perpendicular to the CuO-planes in high-temperature superconductors is a substantial fraction of the condensation energy is examined. It is argued that the consequences of this theory based on a rigorous $c$-axis conductivity sum rule are consistent with recent optical and penetration depth measurements.Comment: 4 pages (RevTeX) and 2 eps figure

Simple top-down preparation of magnetic Bi0.9_{0.9}Gd0.1_{0.1}Fe1−x_{1-x}Tix_xO3_3 nanoparticles by ultrasonication of multiferroic bulk material

We present a simple technique to synthesize ultrafine nanoparticles directly from bulk multiferroic perovskite powder. The starting materials, which were ceramic pellets of the nominal compositions of Bi$_{0.9}$Gd$_{0.1}$Fe$_{1-x}$Ti$_x$O$_3$ (x = 0.00-0.20), were prepared initially by a solid state reaction technique, then ground into micrometer-sized powders and mixed with isopropanol or water in an ultrasonic bath. The particle size was studied as a function of sonication time with transmission electron microscopic imaging and electron diffraction that confirmed the formation of a large fraction of single-crystalline nanoparticles with a mean size of 11-13 nm. A significant improvement in the magnetic behavior of Bi$_{0.9}$Gd$_{0.1}$Fe$_{1-x}$Ti$_x$O$_3$ nanoparticles compared to their bulk counterparts was observed at room temperature. This sonication technique may be considered as a simple and promising route to prepare ultrafine nanoparticles for functional applications.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF EPROSARTAN MESYLATE FROM SELF EMULSIFYING SYSTEM AND CYCLODEXTRIN COMPLEX

Objective: The aim of this work was to determine the intestinal membrane transport parameters of eprosartan mesylate (EM) and to investigate self-nano emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) and inclusion complexation with hydroxypropyl b cyclodextrin (HPbCD) for enhanced intestinal absorption of eprosartan mesylate. Methods: The intestinal absorption was monitored using the in situ rabbit intestinal perfusion technique. SNEDDS was developed using labrafil, Lauroglycol with a tween in the presence of ethanol. Inclusion complexation was achieved by construction of phase solubility diagram in the presence of HPbCD. The prepared complex was evaluated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results: The drug was found to be poorly absorbed from the jejuno-ileum and the colon with the absorption being mainly through paracellular pathway. An inclusion complex was developed between the drug and HPβCD. Perfusion of the drug in the nanoemulsion formulation or as an inclusion complex resulted in a significant increase in the intestinal absorption of the drug compared with the control.Conclusion: SNEDDS and inclusion complexation are promising strategies for enhanced intestinal absorption of eprosartan mesylate

Corporate efficiency, credit status and investment

This paper considers the relationship between financial frictions and investment. In an effort to clarify the role of cash flow in examining the impact of capital-market imperfections, endogenous switching regression models (SRM) are estimated for a panel of 1122 UK firms listed on the London Stock Exchange over the period of 1981 to 2009. Not only is the financial regime which the firm faces endogenous, we also allow the regime to change over time via modelling efficiency using stochastic frontier analysis. The results reveal that a firm’s constrained credit status changes with the improvement of its efficiency. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that financially constrained firm’s investment is comparatively more sensitive to its cash flow. Moreover this sensitivity is statistically significant and is negatively related with corporate efficiency