Archives-January 2012

The dependency of neutron self-shielding factor on neutron field and sample size in large sample neutron activation analysis was experimentally assessed for powdered leaves samples up to 5 g in mass. The measurements of the neutron flux depression inside the samples were used in determining the neutron self-shielding factor. The experimental results agreed with the theoretical estimation that neutron self-shielding factor is dependent on neutron flux level and sample size. Neutron self-shielding was found to increase with decreasing neutron flux level and increasing sample size and vice versa.

The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core members of the Internet Protocol Suite, the set of network protocols used for the Internet. With UDP, computer applications can send messages, in this case referred to as datagrams, to other hosts on an Internet Protocol (IP) network without requiring prior communications to set up special transmission channels or data paths. UDP uses a simple transmission model without implicit handshaking dialogues for providing reliability, ordering, or data integrity. Thus, UDP provides an unreliable service and datagrams may arrive out of order, appear duplicated, or go missing without notice. UDP assumes that error checking and correction is either not necessary or performed in the application, avoiding the overhead of such processing at the network interface level. Time-sensitive applications often use UDP because dropping packets is preferable to waiting for delayed packets, which may not be an option in a real-time system. The Internet has two main protocols in the transport layer, a connectionless protocol and a connection-oriented one. The connectionless protocol is UDP. The connection-oriented protocol is TCP. Because UDP is basically just IP with a short header added.

In today’s dynamic world where innovation is central to organizational long-term success, national culture shaped the behavior of individual and organizations which in turn affects their innovative capability. This research has analyzed the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions effects on organizational innovativeness. We have based our study on the dimensions which are taken form Hofstede’s model, which included; Power Distance, Masculinity versus Femininity, Long & short term approach, Avoidance to uncertainties and Collectivism. We have aggregated data form 350 differential organizations which belong to various sectors of Pakistan. We have utilized Structure Equation Modeling technique to examine and interpret data. The study has found, higher power distance and uncertainty avoidance are having distressing relationship with organization innovativeness. On the other hand collectivism, short term approach and masculinity are having significant relationship impact with organizational innovativeness.

The structures such as windmills, which are remained from past to add to the knowledge and understandings of the today and future generations, are the indicators of creativity of our ancestors and ancient people. Windmills, dating back to 2800 years ago, are among the oldest examples of using the power of nature by human beings. In Netherland and other European countries, some windmills which are similar to Iranian windmills have been found. Some believe that the art of windmill building has been transferred from Iran to the European countries during the Crusade. Because of blowing a type of wind called 120-day wind in Iran, people of Sistan Province made several attempts to exploit the power of this wind. As a result, they invented the Windmills, which are considered as one of the most important inventions of human, to both control and take advantage of the wind power. The earliest windmills had vertical sails and dated back to the seventh century AD. They had six to twelve sails which were covered by cloth or the leaves of date tree. The main function of these mills were milling or drenching the grains.The present study is of descriptive-analytical type. Data gathering was done in library and fieldwork method. To this end, the Lutak, Neshtifan, and Nehbandan mills, located in Sistan Province, were studied. Following the study of the mill history of Sistan Province and southeast of Iran, the quotations from foreign tourists as well as the stand and the function of the mills in Iran’s architecture were investigated. It is noteworthy that the functional elements of the mills are designed according to the aerodynamics rules. This fact suggests that the builders of these mills were cognizant of the capacity and behavior of the wind to satisfy the daily needs of people. It also is a proof for the updated technology of people of that era and the reason for the continuity and uniqueness of these mills throughout the centuries. We can conclude that the mills are the indicators of our antecedents’ good command of how to construct such useful structures. Recognizing such unique patterns can guide us to build comfortable environment to live and to dwell in harmony with the existing organized arrangement of nature. Thus, the current study is conducted by getting help from the tourists’ reminiscences, the scientific books which are left from that era, and the native people of the lands.

Assessment of land response to certain land uses is necessary to reach the sustainable land management. In this study Almagra model from MicroLEIS DSS and remote sensing technology were used to determine the suitability of land for main crops in an arid region east of Tehran (Iran). The weighted average of land and soil characteristic were obtained from representative soil profiles in each land mapping unit, through digital classification of satellite images and entered to the model. Land suitability maps for each crop were presented as thematic maps by integrating soil map with determined land suitability classes in GIS. The results showed that %55 of the area has moderate to high suitability for wheat, alfalfa, maize and melon. Salinity, alkalinity and soil texture are considered as the main soil restrictions for studied crops in this area. According to the obtained results, the priority of the selected crops should be considered as wheat, alfalfa/ melon and maize, respectively. Application of remote sensing technology accompany with land suitability models helped  to enhance the abilities of this model by both saving the data compilation time  and generating georeferenced data to overlay with other information layers and spatialization in GIS.

Medical implants the most unavoidable medical device of nowadays has many potent advantages. One of the important limitations of it in medical usage is colonization of biofilm formers on the inner surface of the implants and produce high risk for the implantable material. This study involves the evaluation of one such high rate biofilm forming bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis which prevail in the blood. The research materials silicone used for making catheters and stents was coated with chitosan and crosslinked using poly- D,L lactic acid (PDLLA) to provide anti-bacterial activity. This was achieved through a dip coating procedure. The bioefficacy against S. epidermidis, water absorbing ability, withstanding lysozyme degradation and biocompatibility analysis were done to understand whether the coated catheters can be more advantageous than the usual one used in hospitals normally. All the analysis showed more compatible result for the chitosan-PDLLA coated catheter samples. The bioefficacy effect of the dip coated catheters and its ability to eradicate the biofilm formation on the surface designated the modified silicone catheters as efficient implants.

Numbers of studies in animal models have shown changes in hemoglobin content after lead administration during gestation and lactation, still lead induced hematological changes are not well established. In the present study, hemoglobin content of normal and lead exposed pregnant and lactating Swiss mice were compared. Pregnant females were exposed to heavy metal lead orally on diet containing 4.5% lead nitrate and lead acetate trihydrate during gestation to 3^rd week of lactation. Hemoglobin content and blood cell counts were examined on 15^th day of gestation and on 1^st, 11^th and 21^st day after birth. The results indicated that in lead intoxicated pregnant females, hemoglobin content decreased. From the results of above study it can be concluded that high levels of lead exposure during gestation and lactation can severely damage heme synthesis.

Over the past few years, semantic web service and multi agent approach has been used successfully in the development of E-Governance. Such a hybrid approach can be considered as an effective approach for the development of predictive modeling in complex e-governance systems. This paper descript a novel approach for the Advanced Semantic Web Service and Multi-Agent based middleware to solve the problems in like MIS Advanced Integrated system interoperability, Sharon advanced system operation research complex Integration, available resource sharing integration of heterogeneous data. This approach is useful for the construction of regional based E-government.

The objective of the study is to identify the perception of the students on aggressive attitude in five secondary schools in Johor Bahru town. This study also attempts to identify the factor of aggressive and types of aggressive attitude in the school. About 260 questionnaires were distributed at random stage to aggressive student from form one, two and four. The instrument used was the Mooney Problem Check List which was later analysis by the SPSS11.5 (Statistical Package For Sosial Science). It contained 64 likert skill items. The reliability value (alpha croanbach) of the instrument was 0.81. Descriptive statistic in the form of mean, standard deviation and percentage was used in data analysis. As a whole, the result of the study shows the level students aggressiveness in secondary schools in Johor Bahru area were quite high. The hypothesis shows that there is no significant difference between aggressive factor and student rate. There is significant relationship between types of aggressive and family income. Students’ perception between aggressive attitude in secondary school show that environment of school is dominant (mean 4.1), less attention from family background (mean 3.8), students’ attitude (mean 3.88), psychology (mean 3.65) and their friends (mean 3.68). The most aggressiveness among student was shown that physical attitude (mean 3.57), verbal (mean 3.53) and anti social (mean 3.34). Thus this research shows that the aggressive attitude among students in Johor Bahru town is quite high. The study suggested that the school should identify aggressiveness culture among the students and should implement the peer program therefore the problems will be decrease.

Interaction process could occur via various means for instance, trade, war, exploration, settlement, colonist, media or entertainment. It can be observed through assimilation process resulting from the clashes of religion, language, customs, food or clothing or other elements. Indirectly, we can witness huge and prominent civilizations dominateless prominent ones. Generally, there are four types of interaction switch can best describe the occurrence among civilization; physical interaction, theological or religious interaction, science and technology interaction and cultural interaction(Zulkifli Dahlan:2009).