The Impact of collaborative Knowledge and Organizational Memory on the Quality of the Managerial Decisions in the Libraries of Jordanian Public Universities

This study aimed to discuss the importance of the collaborative knowledge and organizational knowledge and their ability to maintain the performance of the library that is based on the experience, knowledge and making strategic decisions. In addition to specifying the required knowledge sharing, applying and evaluating it in order that the library obtain a permanent competitive advantage, through its contribution to enable the library to adopt further innovations represented in new goods and services. The process of collaborative knowledge is considered the tool of the library for intellectual capital investment, by making access to knowledge generated for other people in need easy and possible. The quality of managerial decisions depends on the concentration on adopting correct and appropriate choices, generated through making knowledge and developing networks linking employees to share knowledge. The study has focused on the discussion of the impact of collaborative knowledge and organizational memory on the quality of the decisions taken at the university libraries, and by identifying the impact libraries could identify strengths and weaknesses in sharing knowledge between employees engaged in the library. So trying to enhance the strengths and developing it to increase the efficiency of employees and achieving competitive advantage. The researcher has adopted the descriptive analytical approach in data collection, analysis and reaching to the results. Based on the results of the study it has been recommended that the departments and decision-makers in university libraries in Jordan should identify impediments to the process of applying the active participation of knowledge, and work to reduce them in order to achieve its goals and enhance its competitive position. Keywords: collaborative Knowledge, Memory, Quality, Managerial Decisions, Libraries, Universities

Punjabi population data for seven X-chromosome short tandem repeat (X-STR) loci using a new miniplex system

Short tandem repeat (STR) markers are extensively being used for human identification as well as paternity and forensic case work. X Chromosome STR (X-STR) markers are a powerful complementary system especially in deficiency paternity testing. This study presents development of a new Xchromosomal STR multiplex kit providing short-amplicon (<200 bp) fragments. About 200 samples from Punjabi population were typed for seven X-STR markers: DXS101, DXS6789, DXS7132, DXS7423, DXS8378, GATA172D05 and GATA31E08. A total of 51 alleles were detected in the range of five to 10 alleles for each marker. The data can be used as reference database for Punjabi population along with the current battery of autosomal STR for forensic case work to increase the discrimination capacity and strengthen the existing system.Keywords: X-chromosome short tandem repeats (X-STRs), mini-STRs, Punjabi populatio

How Internet Websites Portray Herbal Vitality Products Containing Eurycoma longifolia Jack: An Evaluation of the Quality and Risks of Online Information

Background: Tongkat Ali (TA) or Eurycoma longifolia is a herbal medicine (HM) plant traditionally used to treat sexual dysfunction and enhance libido in men. Websites containing information about HM are abundant. However, studies have shown that in general the quality of websites containing information on HM is low. The present study aims to assess the quality and risks of websites containing information about TA supplements and to identify the health claims for TA. Methodology: A cross-sectional study to evaluate the quality and risks of websites discussing TA supplements was conducted. Online marketing websites, research articles, news articles, personal opinions, and those restricted by password were excluded. The quality and risks of websites were assessed using a modified DISCERN tool and a set of risk assessment criteria, respectively. The health claims for TA were identified and analyzed using content analysis. Results: Overall, 321 websites met the inclusion criteria and were further evaluated. The overall rating of the quality of the websites was low, with a mean score ± standard deviation of 1.07 ± 0.51. Most websites lacked information that there may be more than one possible treatment choice and did not discuss areas of uncertainty. However, 67.9% (218/321) of the websites received a risk score of zero. A minority of websites (5/321, 1.6%) discouraged the use of conventional medicines. The most common health claims for TA included in the websites related to the enhancement of testosterone level (121/321, 37.7%), treatment of malaria (112/321, 34.9%), and improvement in libido (108/321, 33.6%). Conclusions: Websites containing information about TA supplements generally have a low-quality rating based on a modified DISCERN tool despite having a low-risk score. Government agencies and healthcare professionals (HCPs) must be more proactive in the critique and dissemination of information relating to HM, and in ensuring the safe use of HM among the public and patients

Application of TOPSIS method in prioritization of highway bridges for seismic retrofitting

The process of bridges seismic retrofitting in the highway network is extremely costly and time consuming. In addition, the constraint on resources prevents the retrofitting of all the bridges at the same time. Besides, the bridges must be prioritized with simultaneous consideration of multiple criteria, including technical and socioeconomic aspect. This study intends to identify the major criteria and consider them simultaneously for prioritization of highway bridges additionally provides an effective technique for weighing these criteria. In this research, TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method as a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model is applied. TOPSIS method enables decision makers to deal with problems involving a large number of alternatives (bridges) and criteria. This methodology reduces multiple alternative (bridge) performances into a single value (ranking score) to facilitate the decision-making process for determination of the most suitable bridges for retrofitting. Suggested criteria include structural vulnerability, seismic hazard, anticipated service life, average daily traffic, interface with other lifelines, alternative routes and bridge importance. Moreover, relative importance (weight) of the criteria is assigned using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The proposed method is applied to a real case of the Isfahan highway network

Effects of milling methods on tensile properties of polypropylene / oil palm mesocarp fibre biocomposite

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of milling methods on tensile properties of polypropylene (PP) / oil palm mesocarp fibre (OPMF) biocomposites. Two types of mills were used; Wiley mill (WM) and disc mill (DM). Ground OPMF from each milling process was examined for its particle size distribution and aspect ratio by sieve and microscopic analyses, respectively. Results showed that DM-OPMF had smaller diameter fibre with uniform particle size compared to the WM-OPMF. Surface morphology study by SEM showed that DM-OPMF had rougher surface compared to WM-OPMF. Furthermore, it was found that PP/DM-OPMF biocomposite had higher tensile strength compared to PP/WM-OPMF, with almost two-fold. Thus, it is suggested that small diameter and uniform size fibre may improve stress transfer and surface contact between the fibre and polymer matrix and cause welldispersion of filler throughout the polymer resulted in better tensile strength of PP/DM-OPMF compared to PP/WM-OPMF biocomposite. Overall, it can be concluded that disc milling could serve as a simple and effective grinding method for improving the tensile properties of biocomposite

Semibath Polymerization Approach for One-Pot Synthesis of Temperature- and Glucose-Responsive Core-Shell Nanogel Particles

Herein, we report a simple and easy procedure for the synthesis of core-shell structures of glucose-sensitive 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (APBA) and temperature-responsive P(NIPAm-AAc) shell nanogel particles using MBA as a cross-linker via free radical polymerization. The synthesized particles were approximately 100 nm and were cross-linked to one another. The shell thickness of the nanogel particles was adjusted by increasing the concentrations of NIPAm through the semibath approach during the process of polymerization. The synthesized colloidal nanogel particle shows thermoresponsive behaviors. The dynamic light scattering technique also confirmed the change in the size of particles dispersed in an aqueous solution upon increase/decrease in temperatures, which is the result of its volume phase transition temperatures (VPTT). The size and morphology of the particles were characterized by TEM, FE-SEM, and AFM. The sensitivity of these nanogel particles to temperature and glucose suggests that they have the potential for applications related to the delivery of self-regulated insulin

A Phytochemical Analysis, Microbial Evaluation and Molecular Interaction of Major Compounds of Centaurea bruguieriana Using HPLC-Spectrophotometric Analysis and Molecular Docking

Centaurea is one of the most important genera within the family Asteraceae. An investigation of the phytochemical composition of Centaurea bruguieriana using Gas-Chromatography coupled to Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the minimum inhibitory concentration method (MIC) and validated by molecular docking for the major compounds of the most active fraction (1,10-di-epi-cubenol and methyl 8-oxooctanoate) of C. bruguieriana against three bacterial receptors (TyrRS, DNA gyrase, and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)). Evaluation of antioxidant activity was conducted using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the contents of major compounds from ethyl acetate fraction (luteolin 7-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol and isorhamnetin). The antimicrobial activity test showed that the chloroform fraction was more active against all microbial strains. The results of the molecular docking of two major compounds from chloroform fraction showed that good affinities were made between 1,10-di-epi-cubenol and the three selected receptors (TyrRs: −6.0 Kcal/mol against −8.2 Kcal/mol obtained with clorobiocin (standard); DNA gyrase: −6.6 Kcal/mol against −9.1 Kcal/mole obtained with clorobiocin; DHFR: −7.4 Kcal/mol against −6.3 Kcal/mol obtained with SCHEMBL2181345 Standard). Antioxidant evaluation showed that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active fraction in DPPH (IC50 49.4 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 52.8 µg/mL) models. HPLC results showed the contents of luteolin 7-O-glucoside (7.4 µg/mg), and chlorogenic acid (3.2 µg/mg). Our study demonstrated that C. bruguierana is a promising source of bioactive compounds

A Phytochemical Analysis, Microbial Evaluation and Molecular Interaction of Major Compounds of Centaurea bruguieriana Using HPLC-Spectrophotometric Analysis and Molecular Docking

Centaurea is one of the most important genera within the family Asteraceae. An investigation of the phytochemical composition of Centaurea bruguieriana using Gas-Chromatography coupled to Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the minimum inhibitory concentration method (MIC) and validated by molecular docking for the major compounds of the most active fraction (1,10-di-epi-cubenol and methyl 8-oxooctanoate) of C. bruguieriana against three bacterial receptors (TyrRS, DNA gyrase, and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)). Evaluation of antioxidant activity was conducted using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the contents of major compounds from ethyl acetate fraction (luteolin 7-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol and isorhamnetin). The antimicrobial activity test showed that the chloroform fraction was more active against all microbial strains. The results of the molecular docking of two major compounds from chloroform fraction showed that good affinities were made between 1,10-di-epi-cubenol and the three selected receptors (TyrRs: −6.0 Kcal/mol against −8.2 Kcal/mol obtained with clorobiocin (standard); DNA gyrase: −6.6 Kcal/mol against −9.1 Kcal/mole obtained with clorobiocin; DHFR: −7.4 Kcal/mol against −6.3 Kcal/mol obtained with SCHEMBL2181345 Standard). Antioxidant evaluation showed that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active fraction in DPPH (IC50 49.4 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 52.8 µg/mL) models. HPLC results showed the contents of luteolin 7-O-glucoside (7.4 µg/mg), and chlorogenic acid (3.2 µg/mg). Our study demonstrated that C. bruguierana is a promising source of bioactive compounds

Superheated steam treatment of oil palm mesocarp fiber improved the properties of fiber-polypropylene biocomposite

The effect of fiber surface modification by superheated steam (SHS) treatment and fiber content (30 to 50 wt.%) was evaluated relative to the mechanical, morphology, thermal, and water absorption properties of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF)/polypropylene (PP) biocomposites. SHS treatment of OPMF was conducted between 190 and 230 C for 1 h, then the SHS-treated fiber was subjected to melt-blending with PP for biocomposite production. The biocomposite prepared from SHS-OPMF treated at 210 C with 30 wt.% fiber loading resulted in SHS-OPMF/PP biocomposites with a tensile strength of 20.5 MPa, 25% higher than untreated-OPMF/PP biocomposites. A significant reduction of water absorption by 31% and an improved thermal stability by 8% at T5%degradation were also recorded. Scanning electron microscopy images of fractured SHS-OPMF/PP biocomposites exhibited less fiber pull-out, indicating that SHS treatment improved interfacial adhesion between fiber and PP. The results demonstrated SHS treatment is an effective surface modification method for biocomposite production