Archives-December 

This study aimed at discovering if young and adult learners of English language who had been taught Interchange Series would be similarly affected in terms of cultural orientations. To unravel whether learning a foreign language presupposes cultural adaptability, the study also sought if the two groups would perform differently on their achievement tests. To conduct the study, a questionnaire was constructed based on the cultural components discovered in the Interchange Series by Zarei and Khalessi (2010). The two groups of L2 learners who had already completed the three volume Interchange Series in a language institute in Isfahan, Iran, were asked to list the cultural issues from the most preferred to the least. At the end of their program they had sat for their final exams, which were analyzed later. The results indicated that while the adult learners’ preferences were domestically oriented, the young learners of English gave precedence to the cultural issues with western flavor. As regards their course scores, the two groups were not meaningfully different. It can be gathered that textbooks can make young learners conceptualize the world as portrayed therein. The results rejected the idea of acculturation adaptability as a pre-requisite to learning a foreign language.

This study deals with the process of local assimilation of consonants in Kurdish. It is conducted within the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory(OT). The study hypothesizes that among the constraints of local assimilation , markedness is more dominant than faithfulness. It is also claimed that local assimilation can be found within a word and not necessarily between word boundaries. The paper is divided into three main sections; the first section addresses the main concepts and trends concerned with optimality theory. The second section deals with assimilation, its main concepts and categories. The third section shows the cases of local assimilation of consonants in Kurdish within the framework of OT. The sample of the study are all taken from (Sorani Kurdish- the semi standard dialect in Kurdish Language) from written and oral sources.

The stages of gonad maturity, reproductive aspect, length-weight relationship, and condition factor of labeo senegalensis from the White Volta at Yapei, Northern Region of Ghana were investigated during the dry season of 2013. One hundred and fifty (150) specimens caught by gill nets were examined. Out of the 150 specimen, Eighty- nine were females and sixty- one were males. The sex ratio of males to females was thus 1:1.5. Eleven (11) out of the eighty –nine (89) females of thelabeo senegalensis were found to contain gonads. The stages of gonad maturity ranged from stage I (Immature stage) to stage IV (Maturity stage). The total eggs found in the eleven female labeo senegalensis was 2,385 with a mean value of 217 eggs per gravid female. The gonado- somatic index (GSI) ranged from 1.29 to 3.28 with a mean and standard deviation of 2.0 and ± 0.57 respectively. The total length of labeo senegalensis ranged from 9.5 cm- 24.6 cm with a mean and standard deviation of 16.0 cm and ± 2.86 cm respectively. The standard length ranged from 6.2 cm - 20.7 cm with a mean and standard deviation of 13.0 cm and ± 2.27 cm respectively. The body weight of labeo senegalensis ranged from 20 grams - 212 grams with a mean and standard deviation of 121.34 grams and ± 93.89 grams respectively. The LWR of species was highly significant (P<0.001) with determination coefficients (r2) of 0.907. The fitted length –weight relationship of the labeo senegalensis was W = 0.180 x TL 2.66. The slope b of labeo senegalensis length- weight power regression (both male and females) which was 2.6 indicated a negative allometric growth pattern (b<3) of the species. The Condition factor (K) ranged from0.93 to 2.90 and with a mean and a standard deviation of 1.926 and ± 0.61 respectively. The general wellbeing of the labeo senegalensiswas suitable during the study period.

The numerical solution of the transport equation was utilized to study the transport phenomena. The currents and transport coefficients such as, the diffusivity, the electrical conductivity, the thermal conductivity and Wiedemmann-Franz Law in addition of investigating the Einstein relation which calculated from the equations (23-25) and (27-37) respectively at 300oK for values E/N=(0.5,1,2,3,4,5)×10-16 V.cm2 and (1,2,4,6,8,10)×10-18 V.cm2 for nitrogen and argon gases respectively. The results reveals to the agreement with the publisher lectures.

Moringa oleifera is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals. Results of the study revealed the presence of elements such as sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Hazard quotients (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were calculated for samples from Otiakrom and Techiman. The HI values for both study areas were less than unity (HI<1) meaning no chronic risks are likely to occur when three tablespoonfuls of dried Moringa powder is consumed daily. It is recommended that intake of the powder should be based on advice from a nutritionist to avoid the risk of toxicity increasing in vulnerable groups including, children, pregnant women and the aged.

Sulfur is an essential macronutrient for plants. As a constituents of sulfure containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine are also important for animal and human nutrition. That is why understanding of how inorganic sulfure is taken up by plants and built into organic molecules in the process of sulfur assimilation is important. The process of sulfur uptake and assimilation is an integral part of sulfur metabolism. The major physiological problem connected with sulfur metabolism is a sulfur deficiency stress which can be diagnosed in two states. The short -term response is characterized by the development of enhance lateral roots exploring the space in search for lacking nutrients. The long- term response is characterized by decrease in internal lipids, and chlorophyll content and increase in photorespiration. These factor provide-cause effect connections to decrease photosynthesis leading to limitation in energy assimilation, which is turn induces in decline of plant metabolisms.

The centre of concern in the Indian economy these days is the falling value of the Indian currency. Though much is being said about the reasons and the impact a fall in currency will have, little is being presented with clarity. As Lionel Trilling rightly said "We invented money and we use it, yet we cannot understand its laws or control its actions. It has a life of its own." This life blood of the economy is very enigmatic in nature, and more so for the common man. In the global economy that we live in it is essential for the people of the nation to understand the economic implications of money, its fall and its weakening. When he Indian rupee touched a lifetime low of 68.85 against the US dollar on August 28, 2013 RBI had announced a number of measures to take control of the situation, with government requesting not to but gold. All these measures and actions did not yield the desired result. This qualitative research paper aims at presenting the complex matter of the falling value of Indian currency, its reasons and its impact in a simple way to be understood by a layman. The research uses secondary data from various sources. To make the perplexing figures understandable the paper uses flow charts and diagrams.

Lipids play a nutritional physiological role by providing an efficient source of energy and essential fatty acids. As the freshwater bivalves are the filter feeder the role of Mantle is very efficient. A seasonal change in endogenous and exogenous factors in freshwater bivalves requires more energy and is control by various ganglion such as cerebral, visceral and pedal, The lipid content in control group mussels was significantly maximym 5.9313+0.04 mg/100mg during post- monsoon and minimum during the winter season. In cerebralectomizes group the content was significantly higher in unilaterally cerebralectomized mussel during the post- monsoon as compared to control, hence the present investigation was undertaken to study the impact of cerebral ganglia on lipid content in mantle of freshwater mussel Lamellidens Corrianus, during different season.

A simple, efficient and cost-effective method has been developed for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones/thiones by a one-pot three component cyclocondensation reaction of ethyl aceteoacetate, aromatic aldehydes, and urea/thiourea using sodium nitrate as catalyst. The significant advantages of the present protocol are simplicity, high yields, no chromatographic separation, eco-friendliness and recoverability of the catalyst.

Ni-Al₂O₃-Cr metal matrix hybrid composite coatings were developed in a conventional Watt electroplating solution, containing suspended nanoparticles of alumina and chromium. The characterization of the composite layer was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) facilities. SEM, XRD and EDX studies showed that a novel hybrid Ni-Al₂O₃-Cr metal matrix composite (MMC) coating formed successfully on a pure copper substrate with about 11.5 % and 4.4 % vol. Al₂O₃ and Cr dispersed nanoparticles respectively. A texture modification and grain refinement were found in composite layers. The incorporation of nanoparticles of Al₂O₃ and Cr changed the preferential nickel growth orientation from (220) to the (200) plane. The SEM studies on the morphology of a Ni- Al₂O₃-Cr composite surface illustrated that the nickel column growth slowed down in the composite film and the composite coating had a more condensed and smoother surface compared to pure nickel coatings. The mean grain sizes of the pure nickel and composite coats were determined as 103 and 19 nm respectively. The SEM micrographs showed that the nano particles were uniformly dispersed in the electrodeposited nano-structured Ni matrix and the alumina particles agglomerated in sizes of above 100 nm. The micro-hardness and wear resistance test results showed a remarkable improvement in the mechanical properties of the electroplated nickel by creating a nano composite structure of Ni-Al₂O₃-Cr.