Archives-March 2015

To evaluate the association of SCN1A gene with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in Heilongjiang province, Jiamusi city. Blood samples were taken from patients and genomic DNA extracted. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify exons 10, 13 and 15 of SCN1A gene, and BstNI restriction enzyme used in digesting PRC products. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique was used to detect gene polymorphism within SNP locus of SCN1A gene: exons 10, 13, and 15 among case and control groups. After screening of 210 blood samples from both case and control groups using PCR-RFLP technique, there was a significant difference between case and control groups’ SCN1A gene exon 13, locus A221G but none for exon 10 and 15. There was a significant difference between case and control groups’ SCN1A gene exon 13, locus A221G. AA genotype on comparison with AG and GG genotypes was found to be the highest risk factor for developing HIE. This study establishes an important foundation for further study on cause, prevention and treatment of neonatal HIE based on the gene mentioned above and other related genes.

Web-based decision support systems are used to model data and make adequate decisions based upon it. They address the needs of managers in solving structured and semi-structured problems. They have provided assistance to human discrimination to put right people in right places. This research paper focuses on Academic Course Scheduling Decision Support System, which provides a reliable tool that can be used to improve decision making process in academic course scheduling. Due to the dearth of adequate classrooms in most academic institutions, and pressure on the available ones, it becomes more and more difficult for school management to battle with the problem. This paper gives a model for appropriate scheduling of courses to classrooms, as well as determining courses priorities. To facilitate good implementation of this work, the researchers painstakingly took out time to collect enough data from the case study (Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria) as well as materials and journals from various authors/sites. The application was developed using a scripting language, PHP, and MySQL database as backend to effectively achieve the aims of this project.

The Phytochemical studies were carried out on the aqueous, chloroform and ethanol extract of the powdered specimen using standard procedures. In this investigation terpenoids, steroids, tannins, saponin, and cardiac glycosides showed positive results in the extracts whereas flavonoids and phlobatannins showed negative results in the aqueous extract. Soxhlet apparatus were used for extracting the antibacterial active compounds from the powered leaves of Mentha arvensis. The discs were prepared and immersed in various solvents. Obtained pathogenic bacteria pure cultures were inoculated nutrient broth respectively. The antibacterial activities against the Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus pyogenes. Ethanol extract was found to be most effective followed by other water and chloroform extracts. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia were more sensitive for ethanol extract. Aqueous extracts showed low inhibition against the tested organisms when compared to other test plant extracts. The present study provides an important basis for the use of chloroform and ethanol extracts from the leaves of Mentha arvensis L. for the treatment of skin diseases. The crude extract as well as the isolated compounds found to be active in this study which would be useful for the development of new antibacterial drugs.

Bioinformatics is a science typically associated with databases in genomics and proteomics and structure and Function information for genes and proteins, of all forms of life on earth. In the past decade there has been a ‘cyber-war’, with the introduction of a number of biological databases on genomics and proteomics. The major aim here is to introduce data mining techniques as an automated means of reducing the complexity of biological data in large bioinformatics databases and of discovering meaningful, useful patterns and relationships in data. The main purpose of data mining in the field of bioinformatics is the mining of complex data which is fast growing and can be said to be outgrowing our processing power.

What happens after the crime of genocide, is the eradication of nation’s culture in all aspects such as: language and customs. The Kurds are the big victims of this policy. The cultural genocide of Kurds has been applied in Turkey in a widespread manner. Turkey during the years of their rule on Kurds put into destruction Kurdish culture and identity in different ways such as: prohibition of language and the ban of newspapers and books’ publication in Kurdish and etc…. Since, this article has considered actions called cultural genocide in Kurdistan of Turkey.

Considering the fact that approximately 80% of problems of organizational security have to do with negligence or lack of users’ awareness of knowledge management (KM) , the users’ knowledge about information security has been identified to be one of the most fundamental issues in information security management. Accordingly, in the present study we analyzed different factors of knowledge management for recording, storage, sharing and dissemination of information security. The current paper is a type of descriptive-correlative in terms of collecting data and pragmatic in goal. The findings come from a field study on knowledge management experts at Iranian universities. Also, a questionnaire was the means for collecting the data. Finally, the data were analyzed using the partial least square and path analysis methods. The findings suggest that the information system users remarkably apply security factors of knowledge management. Furthermore, the authors realized that it is possible to use security factors of knowledge management by increasing the users’ awareness in order to enhance informational security.

Ferrous, non-ferrous metals and alloys are melts and reshape them into finished shape through pouring molten metal into a mold cavity through solidification. The present review confines itself to the literature on the understanding of necessary conditions that are affect the casting properties i.e.grain nucleation, grain growth and other properties of solidified finished shape. After completion of nucleation, solidification process will continue with the growth of nuclei. The number of nucleation sites in casting nucleation and growth of grain refinement can be achieved by increasing the grain refinement is important. In general, finer grain size leads to high mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness, toughness, fatigue strength and yield. Mechanical properties and grain refinement can be achieved by the mold rotation, mechanical vibration and electromagnetic stirring. In this paper also review the cooling rate, nucleation presents, grain size, grain growth and solidification behavior change under static and oscillatory casting conditions.

Indoor radon concentration measurements in some dwellings in four districts in Ghana have been monitored between 3months and 1 year using LR-115 type II Cellulose Nitrate films in the bare mode. The annual average indoor radon concentrations vary from 9.40 ±6.30 to 144±93.80 (Bqm?3) in the bedrooms. Annual effective doses were calculated, using ICRP-65 conversion values, and the average annual effective dose varied from 0.25 ± 0.08 to 4.33±0.47 mSv. Radon concentration levels and annual effective doses were found to be within recommended limits.

The purpose of this study was to find out those competencies that Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) appointed Heads of Department in secondary schools should have for effective performance of their administrative duties and responsibilities. Major areas of responsibility for study were: Responsibility for Curriculum; Responsibility for Teachers; Responsibility for Learners; Responsibility for Resources; and Responsibility for Finance. Under these areas of responsibility, 46 specific tasks were identified and consequently studied. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used for the study. There were 37 Heads of Department, 112 teachers, 24 head-teachers and 2 Quality Assurance and Standards officers’ in-charge of secondary schools selected from Siaya District. Data collection techniques included questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. For data analysis, mean scores and percentages were used to describe data. T-test and chi-square statistical techniques were used to draw inferences. The findings of the study revealed that heads of departments in secondary schools are lacking in certain competencies which are crucial for effective performance of their administrative functions and responsibilities. The most discrepant competencies were found to be in the area of Responsibility for Curriculum, and Teachers. On the basis of the findings, recommendations were made on how to equip heads of department with the necessary competencies in order for them to be effective in their work. These include the need to: offer extra job- focused formal training to heads of department; broaden, detail and make practicable education administration curriculum in teacher training institutions; provide elaborate job description manual; provide incentives to these administrators; and have quality assurance personnel make frequent and broad based supervision of the work of Heads of Department.

Lead poisoning crisis that crystallized in Bukkyum and Anka local governments of Zamfara State , Nigeria, gave birth to this research works in line with recommendations by Médecins sans Frontières (MSF-Holland) to Zamfara state health authorities.( UNEP/OCHA, 2010). The work consist of Soil sampling and XRF analysis of selected mining stages as well as a host village residential compounds, Dan-company. The concentration levels of Fe, Ni, Cu and Cr are elevated while that of other heavy metals is present within regulatory limits. The elevated levels of metals by their nature do rarely portend hazards to health. The relationship of mining cave values, tailings and residential compounds shows that the villagers of the mining environment might have been educated from the earlier years of the British settlers that flagged off mining in the area.