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In the United States, foreign-born individuals are more than twice as likely to start new ventures, immigrant-owned businesses, however, fail within the first 5 years. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies U.S.-based Togolese small business owners who were engaged in entrepreneurial activities in Togo. The Schumpeterian entrepreneurship theory underpinned the study and served as a theoretical reference. Interview data were collected from 20 successful Togolese small business owners who resided in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, who were engaged in entrepreneurial activities in Togo, and who had been in business for more than 5 years. Data analysis involved using coding techniques and word clustering, and qualitative data analytical software. The use of methodological triangulation enabled deeper analysis and added to the rigor of the study. The key themes emerging from the coding and thematic analysis of interviews included motivation and entrepreneurial characteristics such as risk propensity, entrepreneurial education, leadership, self-confidence, and vision. The findings of the study may improve the social and business success of immigrant business owners, and entrepreneurs may use the knowledge to improve business success, which could lead to the creation of jobs and improvement in the standard of living of U.S.-based Togolese entrepreneurs. The discoveries from the research may also contribute for the welfare of local communities in Togo, as the diaspora flow of investments and remittances from the United States may increase.

Didymoplexis seidenfadenii Sathish & Ormerod, Ixora agasthyamalayana Sivad & N. Mohanan, Kunstleria keralensis C. N. Mohanan & N. C. Nair, Melochia nodiflora Swartz, Merremia cissoides (Lam.) Hall. f. and Synedrella vialis (Less.) A. Garay, are reported here as additions to the flora of Tamil Nadu. A brief description with relevant notes is provided for the easy identification of taxa in the field.

In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop a new algorithm for distribution system planning. The proposed algorithm does not require prior knowledge of candidate substation location and can obtain the “number, location and service area” of HV/MV substations, the optimal feeder configuration and the optimal sizes of branch conductors while satisfying constraints such as current capacity, voltage drop and heuristic rules. Several algorithms are proposed for distribution systems planning. A comprehensive algorithm is developed for obtaining the optimal “number, location and service area” of substation using GA and a generalized algorithm is modified to optimal feeder path on minimum loss criterion. Direct approach load flow is used for solving radial distribution networks and branch conductor optimization algorithm. The load flow algorithm and branch conductor optimization techniques are used as subroutine in the generalized distribution systems planning algorithm. Through numerical example the validity of proposed method is verified.

The ordinal regression is a method that is used to robust the model when dependent variable is ordinal and Independent variables may be dichotomous, polytomous, and continuous or combination of these. Ordinal logistic regression is used to predict the “odds” of having a lower or a higher value for dependent variable (y), based on independent variable (x). In practice, the frequently used type of model is a proportional odds model in ordinal logistic regression. HIV testing is necessary for preventing and reducing the HIV transmission. However, there are various Socio-demographic and HIV related behavior factors contribute the high or low HIV testing in general population and high risk groups. Intend of this study find out the important factors of the HIV testing in Injecting drug users (IDUs) patients. The ordinal logistic regression model makes assumptions about the nature of the relationship between the order response variable HIV testing Methods: Total 139 IDUs patients’ collect the information for this research based on specific questioner from the district Kamur in Bihar. In study, Ordinal logistic regression analysis to determine the factors which are considered to be a significant contributor in HIV testing. The ordinal logistic regression model was used to build models for dependent variable HIV testing and independent variables which are Age, Marital Status, Education, Occupation, Stigma, Income, STI/STD problems, Needle injecting sharing and HIV information. Results: In this research apply the proportional odds model for confirm the applicability of the ordinal logistic model. We determine the all parameter the significant of the model. We found that Needle sharing, Abscess problem, Abuse, Heard about STI, HIV, Income, HIV knowledge, HIV transmission through multiple partners shows significant contribution to IDUs patient for HIV testing. Conclusion: This study has made an attempt to recognize the predictors of HIV testing for injecting drug users by developing an ordinal logistic regression model.

Synthesis of a nanocomposite hydrogel P-PAMPS-PAAm/ZnO, has been made by the polymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and acrylamide (AAm) in the presence of pectin (P) and zinc oxide (ZnO) using microwave irradiation technique. FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM studies indicated the formation of a gel network and incorporation of ZnO particles within gel structure. The system was evaluated for adsorption of Cu (II) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions. About 77 mgg-1 of Cu(II) and 125 mgg-1 of Pb(II) could be adsorbed from aqueous solutions. Different isotherm models have been employed to study the adsorption process and the data is found to fit well with Langmuir isotherm model. The kinetic studies revealed a second-order adsorption process. About 95% of the metal ions adsorbed could be stripped in acidic medium of pH 1.2 indicating the reusability of the gel.

The study aimed at detoxifying JCSM using biological treatments (spontaneously, fungi cocktail and specific). Shimadzu HPLC/ UV was used to quantify phorbol esters in Jatropha curcas seed meal under isocratic conditions. After six days of fermentation, cocktail of fungi, and spontaneous fermentation of JCSM was effective in reducing PE concentration. Defattening seed meal using cold maceration in petroleum ether reduced phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) in the JCSM from 40.42 to 10.9 ng/ml prior to solid state fermentation. Spontaneous fermentation of defatted JCSM further reduced PMA from 10.9 to 5.05 ng/ml (53.6%). Fungi isolated during spontaneous fermentation included, Aspergillus niger (B), Aspergillus flavus (A), Rhizopus Stolonifer (C), Penicillium chrysogenum (D) and Fusarium species. The reduction of PE ranged between 10.71 – 1.46 ng/ml when single or a combination of the fungi isolates were used in solid state fermentation of the defatted seed meal. P. chrysogenum reduced phorbol ester levels (PE) in defatted seed 76.5%, R. stolonifer 43.3%, A. flavus 35.6% and A. niger 1.72%. When fungi isolates were paired, A. niger + P. chrysogenum (BD) reduced PE levels by 13.7%, A. flavus + A. niger 64.5%, A. flavus + P. chrysogenum 70.3%, A. flavus + R. stolonifer 78.8%, A. niger + R. stolonifer 86.6% and R. stolonifer + P. chrysogenum 86.6%. The treatment combination of A. niger + R. stolonifer + P. chrysogenum reduced PE levels by 84.0%, A. flavus + A. niger + R. stolonifer to 67.2% and A. flavus + R. stolonifer + P. chrysogenum to 62.3%. P. chrysogenum was effective as a single isolate but its activity was suppressed when paired with A. niger. Treatments of the deffated seed with, A. flavus + R. stolonifer; A. niger + R. stolonifer; R. stolonifer + P. chrysogenum; and A. niger + R. stolonifer + P. chrysogenum were the only combination that exceeded the phorbol reductive activity of P. chrysogenum in. It could therefore be concluded that Jatropha curcas seed meals can be detoxified by solid state fermentation.

The mangroves are the dominant flora of the estuarine ecosystem, showing different adaptations with unrelated species. Therefore in present investigation attempts were made to study vegetation characters of the mangroves from Western Maharashtra of India. The area is unique due to its diversity and dominant species occurred at different sites. It mainly consists of species like A. marina, A. officinalis, Rhizophora mucronata etc. with dominance occurring commonly at all the study sites. Sensitivity and adaptability of the species in the critical ecosystem become important to assess the vulnerability of a species.

The objective of this note is to present data pertaining to the basic needs and minimal requirements of water for sustenance and survival. In view of the concerns expressed by various agencies and citizen groups on the dwindling water supplies and the lack of access to clean water in many parts of the world, this note may help the reader to put in perspective the quantity of available water resources and the basic per capita water needs and minimal requirements of humans for their survival to carry on their other daily activities. India is taken as a case in point to examine the availability of its water resources for various uses. Other developing countries may make their own inventories of water available for various uses, and how they can meet the daily minimum needs of their people. The questions posed in the epilog section of this note are provided for readers to think seriously as to what can be done to ensure the sustainability of the economic growth of developing countries, and still preserve the quality and quantity of existing water resources.

Greening of industry relates to the greening of the process of producing and the product as most pollution occurs due to process of raw materials. In this article, we propose that green product innovation, green process innovation and combined green innovation will be positively influencing manufacturing firms to achieve corporate competitive advantages in the marketplace. This is in line with a suggestion in the literature whereby firms that implement green technology and show high environmental performance to be prone towards being profitable compared to those that are not. If this is true, then the proposed model is expected to show positive results, indicating that green innovation investment is indeed beneficial to manufacturing firms to as a business strategic tool to compete in the marketplace. Thus, the importance of green innovation practices in corporation should be implemented by firms.

Intense interest in Asparaginase has resulted from the discovery of its ability to inhibit growth of tumors in mouse, rat and dog to suppress human leukamias in clinical trails. L-Asparaginase is an effective antineoplastic agent, used in the acute lymphoblastic leukemia.Asparaginase catalyzes the deamination of asparaginases into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The aim of the present investigation was to study production of asparaginase from agricultural waste like citrus limetta pulp using solid state fermentation (SSF).Citrus limetta pulp used as a sole source for growth in SSF showed maximum enzymes production. Optimized process parameters like incubation time: 72 hrs; incubation temperature:280C; pH of the culture medium: 7.5; and moisture content: 60% v/w gave an overall yield of 101 U/g.