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By using the improved (G'/G) -expansion method, we obtained some travelling wave solutions of well-known nonlinear Sobolev type partial differential equations, namely, the Benney-Luke equation. We show that the improved (G'/G) -expansion method is a useful, reliable, and concise method to solve these types of equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary A physically based land surface scheme, the Modified Interaction Soil Biosphere Atmosphere (MISBA) of Kerkhoven and Gan (2006) was used to assess the future streamflow of the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) of Alberta under the combined impacts of climate change and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Potential impacts of climate change on the streamflows of 15 sub-basins of the SSRB for the 2010–2039 (2020s), 2040–2069 (2050s) and 2070–2099 (2080s) were simulated by MISBA based on 30 years (1961–1990) of re-analysis data of the European Centre for Mid-range Weather Forecasts (ERA-40) adjusted with climate scenarios projected by four General Circulation Models (GCMs) for three Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) emissions (A1FI, A21, B21) of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Next, the combined impacts of climate change and ENSO are simulated by driving MISBA with the ERA-40 dataset re-sampled for active El Niño and La Niña episodes adjusted for climate projections of 2050s. Under SRES climate projections alone, MISBA simulated an overall decrease in streamflow for sub-basins of SSRB in 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s. While under a combined impact of climate change and ENSO, a further decrease (increase) in the streamflow of SSRB by 2050s was simulated if the climate anomaly considered was El Niño (La Niña). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the future irrigation demand of the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) of Alberta subjected to combined impact of climate change and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) using the Irrigation District Model (IDM) of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Based on the agro-climatic data of SSRB of 1928-1995, the potential impact of climate change on SSRB's irrigation water demand for three future periods, i.e., 2010-2039 (2020s), 2040-2069 (2050s), 2070-2099 (2080s) are simulated by IDM on the basis of Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) climate scenarios projected by four General Circulation Models (GCMs) of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The combined impact on SSRB's irrigation water demand is also simulated on the basis of SRES climate scenarios together with an active El Niño or La Niña in the 2050s. If only the potential impact of climate change is considered, IDM's simulations for 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s show a general increasing trend in the irrigation demand in the 21st century for both the irrigation districts and the private irrigation blocks. On the average, water demands for the irrigation districts and private irrigation blocks are expected to increase by 7% and 11% in the 2020s, 12% and 17% in the 2050s, and 13% and 18% in the 2080s, respectively. While considering the combined impact for the 2050s, a further 7% decrease (1% increase) in the irrigation demand is projected under an active El Niño (La Niña) episode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research deals with the fractional order nonlinear complex model, which is a general form of nonlinear Schrodinger equation. This model demonstrates boson gas among 2 as well as 3 body collisions, nuclear hydro-dynamics allied with Skyrme energies, in addition the optical rhythm propagations within dielectric non-Kerr media. To analyze and generate complex dynamics, optical soliton solutions of the model are derived through improved generalized Riccati equation mapping scheme. As a result, bright, dark and combo bright-dark optical wave envelopes and oscillating pulse bright optical solitons are obtained. The effects of fractionality and parameters are also illustrated with few numerical graphics of the achieved results. The achieved optical (bright and dark) solitons solutions can be used in signal transmission through optical fiber communications system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental problem due to their all-around existence and extraordinary stability. A significant number of studies are found in recent literature on the occurrence, distribution, transport, and fate of the MPs in several environmental compartments. In this study, we have investigated the occurrence and characteristics of MPs in the surface water and sediment of the Buriganga river, located beside the mega-city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. In the Buriganga river, the concentration of MPs in the surface water was found from 4.33 ± 0.58 to 43.67 ± 0.58 items L−1, and in the sediment, MPs varied from 17.33 ± 1.53 to 133.67 ± 5.51 items kg−1 of dry sediment. Fragment-type MPs were predominant in the surface water and sediment, which was 72.7% and 85.5% respectively. The most abundant polymer type polypropylene (PP) was found -to be 46% in the surface water and 61% in the sediment sample. The next major category, polyethylene (PE) was found to be 26% and 21%, respectively. Polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyamide (PA) were other commonly detected polymer types. The MPs were found to be contaminated by Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Sn from Energy dispersive-X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) analysis. Tannery-induced Cr was detected in the highest concentrations in the MPs, which were 20.67 ± 1.66 mg kg−1 (in surface water) and 14.2 ± 1.25 mg kg−1 (in sediment). The pollution load index (PLI) of the MPs contamination in different sampling sites along the Buriganga river was found in the risk level category of I and II. The anthropogenic influence of the city area was reflected in the PLI values, which had an increasing trend from the upstream sampling points (1.00 ± 1.00, 1.00 ± 1.00) to the downstream sites (10.09 ± 1.00, 7.71 ± 3.60). Microplastics from surface water and sediment of the Buriganga River and their physical-chemical features. [Display omitted] • Microplastics were detected in each surface water and sediment sample of the Buriganga River. • Fragment-shaped polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the predominant polymer types. • Microplastics were found to be contaminated by heavy metals, such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Sn. • Plastic recycling and molding industries were the major sources of microplastics in the Buriganga River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are interpreted by Marcus-like models of H-tunneling. [•] KIEs’ temperature dependence reveals the nature of “tunneling ready states”. [•] Enzymes’ kinetics and structures reveal the importance of dynamics in catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between institutional investment (II) and corporate social performance (CSP) of public listed companies (PLCs) in Bangladesh using cross-sectional data. The sample includes 152 firms as listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Structured questionnaires, annual reports, CSR reports, websites, regulatory notifications, and newspaper articles were used for data collection. The results of the study indicate that CSP has a positive but insignificant relationship with institutional investment in Bangladesh. This would also improve the investment climate by encouraging the institutional investors to make their investment decisions based on long-term sustainability. To the best of our knowledge, the paper investigates, for the first time, the linkage between institutional investment and CSP in the context of a developing country like Bangladesh. In the process, this paper attempts to develop the first known comprehensive CSP Index in the context of Bangladesh. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a proficiently developed resampling algorithm for particle filtering. In any filtering algorithm adopting the perception of particles, especially in visual tracking, resampling is an essential process that determines the algorithm's performance and accuracy in the implementation step. It is usually a linear function of the weight of the particles, which determines the number of particles copied. If we use many particles to prevent sample impoverishment, however, the system becomes computationally too expensive. For better real-time performance with high accuracy, we introduce a Steep Sequential Importance Resampling (S-SIR) algorithm that can require fewer highly weighted particles by introducing a nonlinear function into the resampling method. Using our proposed algorithm, we have obtained very remarkable results for visual tracking with only a few particles instead of many. Dynamic parameter setting boosts the steepness of resampling and reduces computational time without degrading performance. Since resampling is not dependent on any particular application, the S-SIR analysis is appropriate for any type of particle filtering algorithm that adopts a resampling procedure. We show that the S-SIR algorithm can improve the performance of a complex visual tracking algorithm using only a few particles compared with a traditional SIR-based particle filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the digital divide in four Asian countries: Yemen, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. The research the article reports on is done by researchers who come from these countries making it possible to ground the results of this study within the context of those studied. To allow the reader the opportunity to see the results of this research from multiple sources, the researchers selected four different groups of people to study. The groups come from interesting backgrounds, yet not typically paid attention to in the literature. The groups of people that will be discussed here are Women in political online forums in Yemen, Rural Students in Bangladesh, Cyber Activists and Virtual Protesters in Pakistan, and Farmers in China. This research will show that the reasons these groups of people are standing on the "have not" side is not just because of, as often thought, economics, but also cultural, technological, or political reasons, providing fuel for further research on the digital divide. A discussion about any digital divide would not be complete if it did not include a philosophical analysis which is what this article does toward the end when it addresses the moral significance of the digital divide in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satratoxin G (SG), a macrocyclic trichothecene produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, induces apoptosis in cultured neuronal cells as well as nasal olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) in the nose and brain of mice exposed intranasally to this toxin. The purposes of this study were to (1) develop a facile method for production and purification of both SG and its putative biosynthetic precursor, roridin L2 (RL2), from S. chartarum cultures and (2) compare their relative neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Stachybotrys chartarum 29-58-17 was cultured in Fernbach flasks on rice (5 × 105 spores/250 g rice) for 4 to 6 wk. Following extraction with acetonitrile, the extract was dried, dissolved in dichloromethane, and subjected to Michel-Miller silica-gel chromatography using a stepwise acetonitrile-dichloromethane gradient with SG and RL2 eluting in the 30 and 40% acetonitrile fractions, respectively. Purification of the two compounds was completed by C18 semipreparative reverse-phase liquid chromatography using an acetonitrile-water gradient, and purity was confirmed by electrospray ionization/collision-induced dissociation (ESI-CID) tandem mass spectroscopy. Although viability significantly decreased in PC-12 neuronal cells treated with 10 to 25 ng/ml of SG, RL2 at concentrations up to 1000 ng/ml was not toxic. Flow cytometry and agarose DNA fragmentation assays revealed that SG at 10 to 25 ng/ml induced apoptotic death in the PC-12 cells, while RL2 at concentrations up to 1000 ng/ml was without effect. In a similar fashion, intranasal exposure of mice (female B6C3F1) to SG at 100 µg/kg body weight (bw) induced marked OSN apoptosis and atrophy of the olfactory epithelium, whereas RL2 at the equivalent dose did not exhibit toxicity. Taken together, an optimized protocol for production and isolation of trichothecenes from S. chartarum cultures is described and further demonstrates that while the macrocyclic SG was neurotoxic in vitro and in vivo, its biosynthetic precursor, RL2, was nontoxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations in multinational manufacturing companies have experienced various degrees of success. This article investigates factors influencing the success of ERP implementations in multinational manufacturing companies in the Malaysian Free Trade Zone. The results indicate that enterprise-wide communication and a project management program are key factors influencing the success of ERP implementations, while other factors such as top management support as well as teamwork and composition are not as critical to the outcome. Organizational culture is a moderator of the relationships between enterprise-wide communication, a project management program, and the success of ERP implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satratoxin G (SG) is a macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxin produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, the ‘black mold’ suggested to contribute etiologically to illnesses associated with water-damaged buildings. Using an intranasal instillation model in mice, we found that acute SG exposure specifically induced apoptosis of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the olfactory epithelium. Dose-response analysis revealed that the no-effect and lowest-effect levels at 24 hr postinstillation (PI) were 5 and 25 μg/kg body weight (bw) SG, respectively, with severity increasing with dose. Apoptosis of OSNs was identified using immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 expression, electron microscopy for ultrastructural cellular morphology, and real-time polymerase chain reaction for elevated expression of the proapoptotic genes Fas, FasL, p75NGFR, p53, Bax, caspase-3, and CAD. Time-course studies with a single instillation of SG (500 μg/kg bw) indicated that maximum atrophy of the olfactory epithelium occurred at 3 days PI. Exposure to lower doses (100 μg/kg bw) for 5 consecutive days resulted in similar atrophy and apoptosis, suggesting that in the short term, these effects are cumulative. SG also induced an acute, neutrophilic rhinitis as early as 24 hr PI. Elevated mRNA expression for the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1 and the chemokine macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) were detected at 24 hr PI in both the ethmoid turbinates of the nasal airways and the adjacent olfactory bulb of the brain. Marked atrophy of the olfactory nerve and glomerular layers of the olfactory bulb was also detectable by 7 days PI along with mild neutrophilic encephalitis. These findings suggest that neurotoxicity and inflammation within the nose and brain are potential adverse health effects of exposure to satratoxins and Stachybotrys in the indoor air of water-damaged buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and other ribotoxic trichothecenes cause immune stimulation and suppression in leukocytes by upregulating gene expression and apoptosis, respectively. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that MAPKs mediate both apoptosis and survival in DON-exposed macrophages. At concentrations which partially inhibit translation, DON induced phosphorylation of p38 and ERK 1/2 mitogen activated protein kinases within 15 min in RAW 264.7 macrophages and these effects lasted up to 3 h. DON-exposed cells exhibited marked caspase 3-dependent DNA fragmentation after 6 h which was suppressed and attenuated by the p38 inhibitor SB203580 and ERK inhibitor PD98059, respectively. DON readily induced the phosphorylation and activity of p53 and this was inhibitable by SB203580. DON exposure evoked BAX translocation to mitochondria and corresponding cytochrome C release but did not alter mitochondrial membrane potential. The p53 inhibitor PFTα reduced both DON-induced phosphorylation of p53 and p53 binding activity. Moreover, both PFTα and p53 siRNA transfection suppressed DON-induced caspase-3 activity and subsequent DNA fragmentation. Concurrent with p53 activation, DON activated two anti-apoptotic survival pathways as evidenced by both ERK-dependent p90 Rsk and AKT activation. Taken together, the results indicate that DON initiates competing apoptotic (p38/p53/Bax/Mitochondria/Caspase-3) and survival (ERK/AKT/p90Rsk/Bad) pathways in the macrophage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]