This paper explores the cultural values of Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region of Northern Iraq. An assessment of individuals from both Arab and Kurdish ethnicities was conducted using Hofstede’s 5-D model of cultural values. Some significant differences were found between the two groups. The results of this study indicate that both ethnic groups in Kurdistan possess a low power distance and shortterm orientation. Both ethnic groups rate relatively high on measures of individualism. However, the data revealed that there are significant differences between the two groups in terms of masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. Implications of Kurdistan’s cultural composite relative to economic development, political progress, and management practice are discussed.

The current study was conducted on a deboned veal meat imported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and analyzed at Jeddah Food Control Laboratory (JFCL). The samples were collected routinely during 2013. The aim of this trial is to compare between effects of two sampling techniques; sponge swabbing and excision, on the capability of Salmonella recovery. A total of 900 samples of unknown infection status (150 individual samples × 3 analysts × 2 sampling methods) were examined for salmonella. Simultaneously, an artificial inoculation experiments of veal meat (n=120) were conducted. The international standard procedure for the detection of Salmonella (ISO 6579:2002) was the reference. Results show that the swab sampling technique was more representative, it resulted in higher isolation mean percentage of salmonella (97.8%) and (100%) of spiked samples, compared to excision percentage (86.7%) and (95%) of spiked samples. Percentages of swab and excision techniques of natural contaminated samples were positive for salmonella from the different analysts and ranged from 93.3% to 100% and from 70% to 100%, respectively. The average time for sampling by excision was significantly higher (5:10 minutes) than the corresponding time by swabbing technique (1:10 minute). Taking on consideration the daily workload pressure and the time required for sampling, the results illustrate that swabbing is superior to excision. This study suggests that swab sampling could be an alternative method for the detection of salmonella in meat on the basis of better recovery rate, accuracy, sensitivity and repeatability.

This paper presents an overview of visual recognition of Bengali Sign Language. In this paper we learn and detect a sequence of sign words and recognize the sign language that are understandable to the deaf and hearing impaired people to help normal people understand the meaning of these words. The research discusses the characteristics of the human sign languages, the requirements and difficulties behind visual sign recognition, how to deal with others persons and the different techniques used in the sign language recognition. The paper consists of two major parts, namely the learning part and the detection part. The system takes the sign images as its input. First sign images are learnt by the proposed system. When a sign image is given for recognition, the detection part identifies the image with the help of previously learned images. For learning and detection we have used local binary pattern compared with back propagation algorithm of Artificial Neural Network. We believe that this research will be of much help to express their thoughts and feelings between the deaf people and the normal people.

In the present study, the improved enzyme activity of alpha amylase encapsulated with bovine serum albumin nanoparticle (BSA) was carried out. Initially. The method for preparation of BSA nanoparticles was optimized with various parameters such as pH, acetone to BSA ratio, cross linking time and concentration of BSA. The optimal pH was found to be 4.5, 10 mg/ml of BSA concentration, acetone to albumin ratio was to be 4.5, cross linking time of 3hrs which gives the higher yield of BSA nanoparticles. The Nano-enzyme conjugate was prepared using the optimized conditions. The encapsulation of α-Amylase Enzyme with BSA Nanoparticle was done based on hydrophobic ion pairing (HIP) complexation. And the Scanning electron micrographs of BSA nanoparticle encapsulated enzyme at the targeted size of 100nm. Distinct changes in the kinetic parameters of nano albumin encapsulated α-amylase was observed. Enzyme activity of nano encapsulated alpha amylase was found to be maximum at the pH of 8.0,temperature 80ºC and 4.5mg/ml of substrate concentration.

Aim of the paper is to investigate effects of variable thermal conductivity on flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in variable free stream near a stagnation point on a non-conducting stretching sheet. The equations of continuity, momentum and energy are transformed into ordinary differential equations and solved numerically using Similarity transformation and Homotopy Perturbation Method. The velocity and temperature distributions are discussed numerically and presented through graphs. Skin-friction coefficient and the Nusselt number at the sheet are derived, discussed numerically and their numerical values for various values of physical parameter are presented through Tables.

dvances in technology have allowed the landscape positioning of British Neolithic and Early Bronze Age monuments (circa 4000 – 1600 BC) to be investigated in ways that were virtually impossible before the twenty first century. Since using this technology, I have plotted hundreds of alignments amongst the British prehistoric landscapes and my research indicates that there was a surveying technique being applied to the landscape on a scale never previously considered before. This technique follows a specific formula whereby the location for a monument, in its respective landscape setting, was determined by using elements of astronomy and measuring so that the intended monument could be aligned towards either another monument or a natural feature within the landscape. In the first part of this two-part article I shall discuss how such technology has been used to investigate for alignments amongst prehistoric monuments within the Peak District National Park and, then, in part 2, I shall consider the prehistoric ritual landscape surrounding Stonehenge (Figure 1)

This paper is devoted on impact of post harvest losses at stages of operations. The data balances of food supplied were analyzed and quantified to indicate poor processing and storage facilities in the study Zone Post harvest losses significantly endanger the livelihood of stakeholders and farmers across the value chain by reducing valuable income and profitability.Research has shown that reduction of just one percent in post harvest losses can lead a gain of 40 million USD annually. Government investment will lead to huge reduction in post harvest and increase income levels of actors across various agricultural value chain. Over the past half a century in developing countries with the exception of Ganye, Adamawa State-Nigeria had seen labor saving post harvest system engineering, adopted at unprecedented levels. Post harvest activities in the zone had created power bottle around threshing/shelling of maize, cowpea and groundnut but with adoption of post harvest machines, it had helped and enhance low unit cost with economic impact of 40 percent in the study. Information revealed from the study that farmers sale 20 percent of their grain due to problem of storage facilities. The general grain losses and waste responded by 52 percent of famers is 15-20 percent in the study zone. Quality of grain after post harvest operation with photo type machines is recorded fairly good.

Bilayer Mg/Co and Mg/Mn (700nm) thin films were prepared using thermal evaporation method at pressure10-5 torr at room temperature. The films were rapid thermal annealed (RTA) using halogen lamp to get a homogeneous structure of thin films. The hydrogen gas was introduced in hydrogen chamber, where samples were kept at different pressure from 10 to 40 psi of H2 for thirty minutes. The conductivity has been found to be decreased with increasing pressure of hydrogenation and also intensity of Raman peaks is decreased. I-V characteristics and Raman spectroscopy of annealed hydrogenated thin films have been studied to find out the effect of hydrogenation.

The effect of Intangible capital on the financial performance of all the companies is still poorly defined Intangible capital for all companies in the third millennium can be considered as a competitive advantage. In the modern era, organisations make use of two distinct sources for value creation and profit which are tangible and intangible resources. The main objective of this research thesis is to explore the effect of intangible capital on the financial performance and market value of Jordanian companies. For this reason, we are going to carry out an empirical study drawn from 51 listed companies in Amman Stock Exchange from 2007 till 2012. Intangible capital has been given more attention among the companies of developed nations such as USA, Italy, Australia and others. The results were analysed by using Palic method. The results achieved show that there is a significant relationship between intangible capital with market value and the financial performance of all the active companies. Applicable results of this study suggest the importance of intangible capital in financial performance of companies.

Doppler effect gives a frequency offset on received OFDM signal in radar system. That offset can be seen as a distortion and rotation of reflected signals QPSK mapping vectors. It is possible to determine moving target velocity by estimating expected value of the distorted signal and then calculating the rotated angle. A mathematical relationship between Doppler frequency shift and rotated angle of QPSK mapping vectors was obtained. The recommended systems will require less computing resources, because Doppler frequency shift calculation could be done during one OFDM symbol.