Effect of Compensation on Employee Commitment in Hormuud Telecom Mogadishu, Somalia

Purpose: Any businesses are experimenting with more flexible compensation packages that include components of variable pay according to job performance, competence, skill development, desired team, and leadership characteristics. Reward systems may need to be adaptable if businesses require a high level of flexibility Performance-based compensation inspires employees to achieve the HR function's strategic goals by aligning personal interests with company goals. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of compensation on employee commitment in Mogadishu, Somalia.     Design/Methodology/Approach: The approach as mixed. To achieve the objectives of this study data was collected through close ended questionnaire and interview from a sample of 68 staff and 3 managers of the Homuud telecom mogadishu somalia, and the design was cress sectional in order to get different respondents at one time, these respondents were selected using simple random sampling and census inquiry techniques, Data collected from the questionnaire and interview guide were analyzed using descriptive and linear regression analysis and  content analysis in order to obtain findings according to study objectives.   Findings: The finding indicated that there is  a positive and significant effect compensation on employee commitment in Hormuud Telecom Mogadishu, Somali. Furthermore, this implied that compensation was positively correlated with employee commitment in Hormuud Telecom. This meant that the good level of employee commitment increased with good compensation packages. It found that if employees were satisfied with how the organization operates and communicates its compensation policies, they would remain committed to the organization. Either, the organization’s reward system is more likely to affect the performance of the employees and their desire to remain employed and perform well in the organization.   Research Limitation Implication: The practical implications the research study enables us to explore the employee training on employee commitment in hormuud telecom mogadishu -somalia the limitations faced by the study included time constraints and limited resources taken to complete the study.   Originality/Value: This investigation differs from previous researches explores as it examines the effect of compensation on employee commitment in Hormuud Telecom Mogadishu, Somalia. Furthermore, this study is specifically based on the Mogadishu Somalia

Determinants of ICT Adoption Among Small Scale Agribusiness Enterprises In Somalia

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can advance the Agricultural Business sector, particularly in a country seeking opportunities to explore the sector. There is evidence that ICT has made significant contributions to agribusiness because it allows enterprises to manage their operations, and it has major impacts on the business. However, the critical factors that motivate the adoption of new innovative technology by agribusiness enterprises are underexplored. The literature has indicated ICT adoption among small-scale agribusiness enterprises in Somalia is not fully understood. Nevertheless, this study addresses this gap by investigating the adoption of ICT among small-scale agribusiness enterprises in Somalia. The paper reports the use of the Technology, Organization, Environment (TOE) framework. An online survey has been conducted with random sampling for data collection, with 107 respondents. The respondents are from agribusiness staff and farmers from various agricultural companies in Somalia. After quantitative data analysis, the results indicated that relative advantage, complexity, top management support, and competitive pressure factors are significant contributors to ICT adoption in Somalian agribusiness enterprises, while ICT costs and vendor support are not significantly related to the adoption of ICT in agricultural business. This study concludes that ICT adoption in Somalia is inspired by insight and motivation rather than financial and external support. Understanding these factors leads to a better understanding of ICT adoption in Somalia. Additionally, it enriches the literature about the agriculture business on the African continent Keywords: Determinants, ICT Adoption, Agribusiness, Small Scale, TOE frameworkComment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Amino acid-induced impairment of insulin sensitivity in healthy and obese rats is reversible

High-protein diets (HPDs) promote weight loss but other studies implicate these diets and their constituent amino acids (AAs) in insulin resistance. We hypothesized that AA-induced insulin resistance is a temporal and reversible metabolic event. L6 myotubes were serum deprived for 4 h and then incubated in AA and/or insulin (100 nmol/L). Another group of cells was incubated overnight in AA + insulin, starved again, and then reincubated with AA and insulin. Mammalian (mechanistic) target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and glucose uptake were then measured. Healthy or insulin-resistant rats were gavaged with leucine (0.48 g/kg) and insulin sensitivity was examined. In myotubes, incubation with AA and insulin significantly (P < 0.05) increased the phosphorylation of the mTORC1 substrate ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1, T389) and of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1, serine residues), but suppressed insulinstimulated glucose uptake by 40% (P < 0.01). These modifications were mTORC1-dependent and were reversible. In vivo, leucine gavage reversibly increased S6K1 phosphorylation and IRS-1 serine phosphorylation 5- to 12- fold in skeletal muscle and impaired insulin tolerance of glucose (P < 0.05) in lean rats. In insulin-resistant rats, the impairment of whole blood glucose and AA metabolism induced by leucine gavage (0.001 < P < 0.05) was more severe than that observed in lean rats; however, the impairment was reversible within 24 h of treatment. If these data are confirmed in long-term studies, it would imply that the use of leucine/HPD in treating metabolic diseases is unlikely to have lasting negative effects on insulin sensitivity

Progress and experiences of implementing an integrated disease surveillance and response system in Somalia; 2016–2023

IntroductionIn 2021, a regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance was adopted by member states of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region. But before then, member states including Somalia had made progress in integration of their disease surveillance systems. We report on the progress and experiences of implementing an integrated disease surveillance and response system in Somalia between 2016 and 2023.MethodsWe reviewed 20 operational documents and identified key integrated disease surveillance and response system (IDSRS) actions/processes implemented between 2016 and 2023. We verified these through an anonymized online survey. The survey respondents also assessed Somalia’s IDSRS implementation progress using a standard IDS monitoring framework Finally, we interviewed 8 key informants to explore factors to which the current IDSRS implementation progress is attributed.ResultsBetween 2016 and 2023, 7 key IDSRS actions/processes were implemented including: establishment of high-level commitment; development of a 3-year operational plan; development of a coordination mechanism; configuring the District Health Information Software to support implementation among others. IDSRS implementation progress ranged from 15% for financing to 78% for tools. Reasons for the progress were summarized under 6 thematic areas; understanding frustrations with the current surveillance system; the opportunity occasioned by COVID-19; mainstreaming IDSRS in strategic documents; establishment of an oversight mechanism; staggering implementation of key activities over a reasonable length of time and being flexible about pre-determined timelines.DiscussionFrom 2016 to 2023, Somalia registered significant progress towards implementation of IDSRS. The 15 years of EWARN implementation in Somalia (since 2008) provided a strong foundation for IDSRS implementation. If implemented comprehensively, IDSRS will accelerate country progress toward establishment of IHR core capacities. Sustainable funding is the major challenge towards IDSRS implementation in Somalia. Government and its partners need to exploit feasible options for sustainable investment in integrated disease surveillance and response

The Reprogramming of White Adipose Tissue to Brown Adipose Tissue Mediates Adverse Metabolic Dysfunction After A Burn Injury

A burn injury represents one of the most severe forms of trauma and affects more than two million people in North America annually. Of all cases, nearly 4000 people die of complications related to the injury. A hallmark of severely burned patients is the activation of a hypermetabolic stress response, which is characterized by hyperglycemia, lipolysis, and protein catabolism. Perhaps the most serious gap in our understanding of the hypermetabolic response in burns is the role of the adipose tissue. Humans harbour two distinct adipose depots, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) that carry out essentially opposite functions. WAT is primarily involved in storing excess energy, whereas BAT burns excess energy in the form heat. This fat burning aspect of BAT has emerged as a powerful tool in combating the metabolic syndrome (hyperglycemia, excess body fat, hypertension). Additionally, it has been discovered that our WAT can be reprogrammed to become BAT, however, whether or not such reprogramming (white to brown fat) occurs after a burn injury is unknown. We therefore investigated the adipose tissue, and its role in post-burn hypermetabolism, by using an animal model of burn injury and tissue from clinical burn patients. In our first study, we report the reprogramming of WAT to BAT in both burn patients and post-burn mice indicated by increased expression of the brown adipocyte marker, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1). This reprogramming of WAT post-burn injury required both IL-6 and catecholamine secretion from alternatively activated macrophages. In our second study, we demonstrated that WAT browning with its associated lipolysis increased plasma levels of free fatty acids, leading to the accelerated development of hepatic steatosis and dysfunction after a burn injury. The last study of this thesis was geared towards clinical applications, and centered on the inhibition of the WAT to BAT switch via the use of an IL-6R blocker and propranolol to improve post-burn hypermetabolism and organ steatosis. In summary, our findings highlight an essential role of the adipose tissue in contributing to post-burn hypermetabolism and pathology.Ph.D

The prevalence, rates of clearance and acquisition by pneumococcal serotypes in the nasopharynges of children in Kilifi District, Kenya

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Regulation of glycolysis and the Warburg effect in wound healing

One of the most significant adverse postburn responses is abnormal scar formation, such as keloids. Despite its prolificacy, the underlying pathophysiology of keloid development is unknown. We recently demonstrated that NLRP3 inflammasome, the master regulator of inflammatory and metabolic responses (e.g., aerobic glycolysis), is essential for physiological wound healing. Therefore, burn patients who develop keloids may exhibit altered immunometabolic responses at the site of injury, which interferes with normal healing and portends keloid development. Here, we confirmed keloid NLRP3 activation (cleaved caspase-1 [P &lt; 0.05], IL-1β [P &lt; 0.05], IL-18 [P &lt; 0.01]) and upregulation in Glut1 (P &lt; 0.001) and glycolytic enzymes. Burn skin similarly displayed enhanced glycolysis and Glut1 expression (P &lt; 0.01). However, Glut1 was significantly higher in keloid compared with nonkeloid burn patients (&gt;2 SD above mean). Targeting aberrant glucose metabolism with shikonin, a pyruvate kinase M2 inhibitor, dampened NLRP3-mediated inflammation (cleaved caspase-1 [P &lt; 0.05], IL-1β [P &lt; 0.01]) and improved healing in vivo. In summary, burn skin exhibited evidence of Warburg-like metabolism, similar to keloids. Targeting this altered metabolism could change the trajectory toward normal scarring, indicating the clinical possibility of shikonin for abnormal scar prevention

A scoping review on tsetse fly blood meal sources and its assay methods since 1956 to 2022

Abstract Background Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) are the definitive biological vectors of African trypanosomes in humans and animals. Controlling this vector is the most promising method of preventing trypanosome transmission. This requires a comprehensive understanding of tsetse biology and host preference to inform targeted design and management strategies, such as the use of olfaction and visual cues in tsetse traps. No current review exists on host preference and blood meal analyses of tsetse flies. Methods This review presents a meta-analysis of tsetse fly blood meal sources and the methodologies used to identify animal hosts from 1956 to August 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMA-ScR) was applied. This focused on tsetse-endemic countries, blood meal analysis methodologies and the blood meal hosts identified. The articles were retrieved and screened from databases using predetermined eligibility criteria. Results Only 49/393 of the articles retrieved matched the inclusion criteria. Glossina's main hosts in the wild included the bushbuck, buffalo, elephant, warthog, bushpig and hippopotamus. Pigs, livestock and humans were key hosts at the domestic interface. The least studied species included Glossina fuscipleuris, G. fusca, G. medicorum, G. tabaniformis and G. austeni. In the absence of preferred hosts, Glossina fed opportunistically on a variety of hosts. Precipitin, haemagglutination, disc diffusion, complement fixation, ELISA and PCR-based assays were used to evaluate blood meals. Cytochrome b (Cyt b) was the main target gene in PCR to identify the vertebrate hosts. Conclusions Tsetse blood meal sources have likely expanded because of ecological changes that could have rendered preferred hosts unavailable. The major approaches for analysing tsetse fly blood meal hosts targeted Cyt b gene for species identification by Sanger sequencing. However, small-fragment DNAs, such as the mammalian 12S and 16S rRNA genes, along with second- and third-generation sequencing techniques, could increase sensitivity for host identification in multiple host feeders that Sanger sequencing may misidentify as “noise”. This review of tsetse fly blood meal sources and approaches to host identification could inform strategies for tsetse control. Graphical Abstrac

Mapping the landscape of ICTs in agriculture research: a bibliometric analysis of influential publications and authors

This study aims to identify influential publications and authors in the field of ICTs in agriculture research through a bibliometric analysis. A search on the SCOPUS database yielded 1,104 documents published between 2010 and 2023, from which the 100 most-cited articles were determined. VOSviewer was employed for bibliometric analyses, including keyword occurrences, co-authorship networks, and bibliometric coupling networks. The analysis revealed that India, the UK, and the USA had the highest number of publications, while contributions from Africa were limited. Key recurring keywords included ICT, agriculture, information and communication, information management, and sustainable development. High-ranked journals with significant impact were identified, emphasizing the importance of journal metrics. The study highlighted the potential of ICT in enhancing agricultural performance, productivity, food security, farmer livelihoods, and stakeholder awareness. Despite limitations such as relying on a single database (SCOPUS) and focusing on highly cited publications, this bibliometric analysis provides valuable insights into ICTs in agriculture research. To enrich future research, it is recommended to incorporate multiple databases and consider a broader range of publications. Furthermore, given the limited number of existing bibliometric studies in ICT in agriculture, further research is warranted to advance knowledge in this area