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Synthesis and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles with enhanced antimicrobial activity
No full textThe present paper demonstrates how the antimicrobial properties of chitosan can be enhanced by converting it into nanoparticles of desired size and surface charge using TPP (tripolyphosphate) initiated gelation process. It has been investigated and found that ionic gelation of cationic chitosan macromolecules offers a fiexible and easily controllable process for systematically and predictably manipulating the particle size and surface charge of chitosan nanoparticles which is an important property for antimicrobial erect. Variations in chitosan to TPP weight ratio, pH of chitosan solution and chitosan solution concentration during nanoparticle formation were examined systematically for their effects on nanoparticle size, intensity of surface charge, so as to enable faster synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles with desired properties to have optimum antimicrobial property. The data on particle size and zeta potential was obtained by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic mobility measurement of the chitosan nanoparticles respectively. UV-VIS absorption of bacterial suspension was measured at 610nm to evaluate the bacterial reduction. Solution pH of chitosan was demonstrated to be the most critical factor in controlling particle size and surface charge. At very strong acidic condition of chitosan solution, cross-linking was less resulting in lower conversion of chitosan to chitosan nanoparticles which was reaffirmed by colloidal titration of the surface groups of the chitosan nanoparticles with negatively charged polyelectrolytes poly(vinyl sulfate kalium salt). It was found that variation in size and surface charge of chitosan nanoparticles could be achieved by changing all the above mentioned process parameters and resulted in significant variation in their antimicrobial activity
Critically evaluate the current strategic human resource management of Viet Café (VCF) company and recommending solutions to improve employee job satisfaction.
No full textNowadays, in order to survive and to develop in an era of globalization with more fluctuations, it is essential for organizations to concentrate on strategic human resource management matters. This would help organizations to achieve its objectives, and to contribute to employees’ job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is concerned with the attitudes and feelings of employees on their work. It contributes considerably to the emotional outcomes in terms of the effect in organizations. They include low turnover intention, great affective and continued commitment. By consolidating the available literatures, the would like to examine the influence of factors such as the status of permanent work overload, lack of motivating on employees in their job, the weakness of reward and recognition system, and performance management to job satisfaction. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current strategic human resource management (HRM) of VCF Company, a trading company that is operating in the fields of restaurant and high-class coffee shop. Through this evaluation, solutions to improve employee job satisfaction are recommended
Orthodox science fiction and fictional worlds
No full textThe term ‘hard science fiction’ is used to demarcate a subgenre within science fiction which focuses on scientific or technical detail, or scientific accuracy.However, science fiction is ultimately a form of fantasy and since (as Kuhn and others have demonstrated) the instruments and beliefs of scientists are in a constant state of adaptation to the needs of the culture they are situated within, ‘hard science fiction’ cannot denote anything objective. Preference for this subgenre appears to coincide with conservative physicalist beliefs, which may border on the doctrinaire.Charles Segal coined the term megatext to refer to the Greek myths when taken collectively to imply a single fictional world, and this term is now used to apply to science fiction and fantasy settings of various kinds (e.g. Star Trek, Marvel Comics). Science fiction as a whole may also be recognised as a megatext, and ‘hard science fiction’ constitutes a subset of this megatext. In the context of religion, constraints placed on a mythological megatext is often specified by the term ‘orthodox’; in a similar manner, ‘hard science fiction’ can be understood as orthodox science fiction – a doctrinal constraint placed on a mythological megatext accreting around technical rather than spiritual themes.The philosopher Charles Taylor observes that Western culture is currently experiencing a phenomenal diversification of belief, the two polar extremes of which are orthodox religion and orthodox physicalism. Most individuals lie in middle ground, affected (consciously or otherwise) by the cultural influence of both poles. The fictional worlds of the former are expressed in the mythology contained in certain sacred texts; the fictional worlds of the latter are expressed in science fiction. Orthodoxy in science fiction thus mirrors orthodoxy in religious stories, and can be understood via comparative mythology in the style of Joseph Campbell as making both ethical and metaphysical assertions
Named, shamed, and defamed by the police
No full textSince 2005, police in the United Kingdom have had the power to seize vehicles where they reasonably believe they are being driven without motor insurance or driving licence. Forces across the UK have made extensive use of this provision. In this article, I examine the way in which Merseyside Police have operated this power of seizure. In particular, I consider the force’s practice of attaching to seized vehicles notices stating that they have been driven without insurance. I argue that, where such notices are attached to the vehicles of drivers who are in fact insured, they may amount to an actionable libel against which the police would have no effective legal defence. I also suggest that the use of such notices may be part of a ‘name and shame’ policy and, if so, that this is also likely to make their use unlawful
Piloting, informing, embedding and evaluating e PDP in the School of Arts, Media and Education (SAME) - what's next.
No full textThis work in progress report presents on-going research of the challenge and evaluation faced during the implementation of pilot studies of an ePDP exercise in the School of Arts, Media and Education at the University of Bolton in the UK. The inclusion of personal development planning is a University requirement for all programmes and was traditionally embedded through either text based and/or visual journal approaches used in the SAME (The visual journal has and continues to be an important aspect of personal development for Art & Design students at the UoB). With the emergence of new technologies that could support the traditional PDP the school explored a more flexible approach using an open source VLE (Moodle) to implement the existing PDP framework. The experience provided the school with data to inform full implementation of ePDP through Moodle and to further explore the optimum process, infrastructure and research that was needed to support future developments across the SAME more effectively.The culture of ePDP is slowly changing due to the greater involvement of students and staff with technology and the challenge is to ensure that the PDP concept is fully and holistically understood and embedded within the SAME and on the agreed VLE platform the university is progressing to. The research report will inform on the preliminary results of the pilot and first year of implementation
Investigation into the errors introduced by using multiple E field probes concurrently
No full textMeasurement of the E field component of a RF electromagnetic field at a single point using electric field probes is well understood. However, using a single probe to measure the E field at a number of points in space is time consuming and the results are at different actual times. A multiple probe array may be considered in order to achieve a 'snapshot' measurement of all test points concurrently but, since each probe itself distorts the field, measurement error is introduced. This error has been investigated by experimental and modelling techniques, using a range of field scattering bodies and antennas, to determine if it can be limited sufficiently to make the use of multiple probes viable
Recording leisure lives: holidays and tourism in 20th century Britain Edited papers from the conference 'Recording Leisure Lives: Histories, Archives and memories of Leisure in 20th Century Britain.
No full textReading Across the Empire: the National Home Reading Union Abroad
No full textThe National Home Reading Union was established in Great Britain in 1889 by John Brown Paton, a prominent Congregationalist minister, to improve popular reading through the formation of local reading circles. It aimed, through its prescriptive lists, ‘to guide readers of all ages in the choice of books’, ‘to unite them as members in a reading guild’ and ‘to group them where possible in circles for mutual help and interest’. Readers who were unable to find a local circle could join as individual members and follow the set courses of reading as they wished, although the Union’s preference was that readers should combine in circles whenever possible
