Handwritten Signature Verification using Deep Learning

Every person has his/her own unique signature that is used mainly for the purposes of personal identification and verification of important documents or legal transactions. There are two kinds of signature verification: static and dynamic. Static(off-line) verification is the process of verifying an electronic or document signature after it has been made, while dynamic(on-line) verification takes place as a person creates his/her signature on a digital tablet or a similar device. Offline signature verification is not efficient and slow for a large number of documents. To overcome the drawbacks of offline signature verification, we have seen a growth in online biometric personal verification such as fingerprints, eye scan etc. In this paper we created CNN model using python for offline signature and after training and validating, the accuracy of testing was 99.70%

Students' satisfaction at Jordanian universities and its relation to some variables

The purpose of this study is to determine and compare the importance and the various levels of satisfaction related to undergraduate students at public and private universities in Jordan. The study sample consists of 304 students distributed over two groups: public university (n = 120) and private university (n = 184). Means, standard deviations and three-way analysis of variance (MANOVA) are used to compare students’ perception to the levels of importance and satisfaction, and the mean difference between the two levels in two different institutions. All significant MANOVAs were followed by one-way ANOVA to determine which group differs significantly from the others. Results of the study reveal that students at public and private universities consider the importance of the Satisfaction Scales to be ‘somewhat important’. Students at public universities consider the satisfaction to be ‘neutral’, while students at private universities consider it to be ‘somewhat dissatisfied’. In general, students at public and private universities believe the performance gap levels to be high.peer-reviewe

Factors and affect mobile telephone users to use mobile payment solution

Providing a convenient payment solution to mp3 users is one of the alternatives that can promote legal mp3 downloading. However, before the success of the payment solution can be determined, it is essential to understand whether it would be well-accepted by the users. This paper examines factors that influence the intention to use a mobile payment solution for mp3 downloading among university' students. Drawing from the Technology Acceptance Model, Theory of Planned Behaviour and previous literatures, five factors were hypothesized to influence the intention to use the payment solution, namely perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, perceived price level, and peer influence. Final year business students at a public university in the southern part of Malaysia were chosen as respondents for this study. Multiple regressions were employed to analyze the data. Two factors were found to have significant effect on the intention to use the payment solution, which were trust and peer influence. Practical implications were proposed and discussed

Impact of Applying Fraud Detection and Prevention Instruments in Reducing Occupational Fraud: Case study: Ministry of Health (MOH) in Gaza Strip

The study aimed to identify the effect of applying detection and prevention tools for career fraud in combating and preventing fraud and reducing its risks through an applied study on Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza Strip, Palestine. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers used the questionnaire as a main tool to collect data, and the descriptive and analytical approach to conducting the study. The study population consisted of (501) supervisory employees working at MOH in Gaza Strip, Palestine. The researchers used the stratified random sample method and the multiple regression method to measure the effect. The study concluded a set of results, the most important of which is a positive evaluation among respondents about the levels of application of tools to detect and prevent job fraud within MOH, and the presence of a high interest in tools to prevent job fraud during the implementation of its various work. The study recommended the necessity for the Palestinian National Authority to develop and approve laws regulating health sector, so that those laws guarantee the prevention of conflicts of interest, especially for the category of doctors, by preventing job duplication of doctors working in the government sector. Also study recommended the need for MOH to adopt principles of health sector governance and begin immediately to implement them. This process to ensure transparency, disclosure and accountability in the business framework in a manner that realizes the effective protection of stakeholders and does not compromise or discriminate in the application of these principles, which ensures that all forms of job fraud are organized in an organized manner and within fixed legal frameworks

Effectiveness of Synchronous Discussions and Video Lectures Modes on Improving Metacognitive Thinking and Life Skills in Online E-Course

The present study aimed to identify the effectiveness of two modes (synchronous discussions and video lectures) on improving metacognitive thinking and life skills in online e-course. The study sample consisted of 80 students, who were divided into two experimental groups were selected purposively, where the first one 45 student studied in simultaneous discussions mode, and the second 35 students studied in video lectures mode. The study tools consisted of the metacognitive thinking test and the life skills scale, which were administered using a pre-and-post design. The study results showed that there were statistically significant differences between the average scores of the two study groups in the post test on the metacognitive thinking test in favor of the first experimental group, while there were no significant differences between the average scores of the two experimental study groups in the post test on the scale of the life skills. Considering this, the study recommended paying attention to the usage of different modes of technologies, which contribute to improving students\u27 skills to keep pace with the requirements of the times. In addition to offering workshops, courses, and seminars for lecturers and students about dealing with synchronous and asynchronous educational technologies

Electronic Absorption Spectra of New y-Keto-dimethine Cyanine Dyes and Apocyanines

New asymmetrical y-keto-dimethine cyanines (2.-f) were prepared through the condensation of phenyl glycosal derivatives (l.-e) with 2-methyl pyridinium (quinolinium)- 2yl salts. Such dyes were converted into the corresponding dyes (3a-g and 4a-d) by cyclocondensation with hydrazines or hydroxylamine hydrochloride under suitable conditions. The new synthesized cyanines were identified by elemental and spectral analyses. The U\u27V-visible absorption spectra of some selected dyes were investigated in pure and mixed solvents as well as in aqueous buffer solutions. Molecular complex formation with ethanol was verified by mixed solvent studies. Electronic transitions were attributed to either locally excited or predominantly charge transfer states. The spectral shifts were discussed in relation to molecular structure and in terms of medium effects. The variation of absorbance with pR was utilized for the determination of the pK. value for aselected compound (2e). The photostability of some selected đyes (2e, 3g and 4d) was investigated

Antigenic Detection of Salmonella Infection among Pediatric Patients with Acute Gastroenteritis

Background: Diarrheal diseases are one of the social problems in developing countries. The pathogens commonly associated with childhood diarrhea are Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, Shigella, Yersinia and Escherichia coli but the highest attack rate for salmonellosis in infancy. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of Salmonella antigen in acute gastroenteritis in children admitted to a pediatric hospital. Material and Methods: The study was performed on freshly collected stool samples among 94 acute diarrheal children below two years admitted to AL-Khadymia and AL-Elweya pediatric hospitals from May 2015 to January 2016. A questionnaire was completed for each patient’s name, age, gender, clinical data like fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The criteria included hemorrhagic fresh stool sample in addition to containing parasite agent. Fresh stool samples were tested by immunochromatographic assay for antigenic detection of Salmonella. Results: Salmonella antigen identified in five stool samples one for male and four for females. All pediatric patients show fever, vomiting and abdominal pain, while the stool consistency distributed to 75.5% watery and 24.5% loosely. Stool samples show 69.1% with blood and 39.9% without blood, 16.9% with pus and 83.1% without pus, 83% with mucous and 17% without mucous. Four cases with giardiasis and 24 cases with entamebiasis and 14 cases with cyst of E. histolytica or G. lamblia in addition to absence the parasites ova in all stool samples. Conclusion: Salmonella antigen present in five stool samples, all the patients show vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, 65 cases with blood in comparison with, 29 without blood 15 cases with pus in comparison with 79 without pus. 78 cases with mucous in comparison with, 16 without mucous, four cases with goddesses and 24 cases with entamebiasis, 14 cases with cyst of E. histolytica or G. lamblia in addition to absence the parasites ova in all stool samples

Optimization of admixture and three-layer particleboard made from oil palm empty fruit bunch and rubberwood clones

Empty fruit bunch (EFB) is a biomass that is widely available and has the potential to be used as industrial raw material especially in wood-based industries. This study focuses on producing a particleboard by incorporating EFB with two different rubberwood clones: Prang Besar (PB) 260 and RRIM 2002, respectively. PB 260 is a commercially planted clone and wood from matured (>25 year-old) trees are used by wood-based panel manufacturers. RRIM 2002 is a new clone planted at the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) research trial plots and consists of only 4-year-old trees. Two types of particleboards (admixture and three-layer) with different ratios were produced. The Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS-5908 2003 particleboard) was used to evaluate mechanical and dimensional stability properties of the particleboards. From the study, it was found that admixture particleboards showed superior properties compared to three-layer particleboards. Layering EFB and rubberwood significantly decreased board performance for all properties (except internal bonding). The optimum ratios of EFB and both rubberwood clones are found to be 1:1 (50% EFB: 50% rubberwood). Meanwhile, increasing the rubberwood clones ratio to 70% lowered board performance especially for EFB (30%):RRIM 2002 clone (70%) boards which showed the lowest values for all properties for both admixture and three-layer board

Effect of ethnomedicinal plants used in folklore medicine in Jordan as antibiotic resistant inhibitors on Escherichia coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Escherichia coli </it>occurs naturally in the human gut; however, certain strains that can cause infections, are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant <it>E. coli </it>that produce extended-spectrum β lactamases (ESBLs), such as the CTX-M enzymes, have emerged within the community setting as an important cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bloodstream infections may be associated with these community-onsets. This is the first report testing the antibiotic resistance-modifying activity of nineteen Jordanian plants against multidrug-resistant <it>E. coli</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The susceptibility of bacterial isolates to antibiotics was tested by determining their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using a broth microdilution method. Nineteen Jordanian plant extracts (<it>Capparis spinosa </it>L., <it>Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Echinops polyceras </it>Boiss., <it>Gundelia tournefortii </it>L, <it>Varthemia iphionoides </it>Boiss. & Blanche, <it>Eruca sativa Mill</it>., <it>Euphorbia macroclada </it>L., <it>Hypericum trequetrifolium </it>Turra, <it>Achillea santolina </it>L., <it>Mentha longifolia </it>Host, <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L., <it>Phlomis brachydo</it>(Boiss.) Zohary, <it>Teucrium polium </it>L., <it>Anagyris foetida </it>L., <it>Trigonella foenum-graecum </it>L., <it>Thea sinensis </it>L., <it>Hibiscus sabdariffa </it>L., <it>Lepidium sativum </it>L., <it>Pimpinella anisum </it>L.) were combined with antibiotics, from different classes, and the inhibitory effect of the combinations was estimated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Methanolic extracts of the plant materials enhanced the inhibitory effects of chloramphenicol, neomycin, doxycycline, cephalexin and nalidixic acid against both the standard strain and to a lesser extent the resistant strain of <it>E. coli</it>. Two edible plant extracts (<it>Gundelia tournefortii L</it>. and <it>Pimpinella anisum L</it>.) generally enhanced activity against resistant strain. Some of the plant extracts like <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L.(Labiateae), <it>Trigonella foenum- graecum </it>L.(Leguminosae), <it>Euphorbia macroclada </it>(Euphorbiaceae) and <it>Hibiscus sabdariffa </it>(Malvaceae) did not enhance the activity of amoxicillin against both standard and resistant <it>E. coli</it>. On the other hand combinations of amoxicillin with other plant extracts used showed variable effect between standard and resistant strains. Plant extracts like <it>Anagyris foetida </it>(Leguminosae) and <it>Lepidium sativum </it>(Umbelliferae) reduced the activity of amoxicillin against the standard strain but enhanced the activity against resistant strains. Three edible plants; Gundelia <it>tournefortii </it>L. (Compositae) <it>Eruca sativa </it>Mill. (Cruciferae), and <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L. (Labiateae), enhanced activity of clarithromycin against the resistant <it>E. coli </it>strain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study probably suggests possibility of concurrent use of these antibiotics and plant extracts in treating infections caused by <it>E. coli </it>or at least the concomitant administration may not impair the antimicrobial activity of these antibiotics.</p