Frequency of IgG Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Iraqi Patients with Stroke

Objective: To examine the presence of Immunoglobulin G type of anti-cardiolipin (ACL), anti-β2GPI  and antiphospholipids (aPL) antibody in Iraqi patients with cerebrovascular diseases especially ischemic stroke. Methods: Immunoglobulin G type of antiphospholipid antibodies (beta 2-glycoprotein I [B2-GPI]), anti phosphatidyl serine, cardiolipin, anti phosphatidyl inositol and anti phosphatidic acid were ivestigated in 67 patients with ischemic stroke (aged between 20 to 90 years) during an three months period from October 2015 to January 2016 in Al-Zahra and  AL-Karama Hospitals, Wassit, Iraq. The clinical, laboratory and demographic characteristics of patients with a positive results were registered. Results: One man and six women (seven patients, 10.49%) had increased IgG types of antiphospholipid antibodies. Increased titers of IgG for anticardiolipin was  observed in eight (11.94%) and seven (10.49%) of patients were positive to anti- β2GPI. Conclusion: In spite of  the different studies in the Europe, elevated titers of IgG antiphospholipid antibodies present in a large number of patients can be resulted from the existence of unidentified triggering agents (poisons and infections), that are more common in developing countries in comparison to developed countries. This hypothesis still need  to more and more investigation in the future, in our country the morbidity is too high because of the repeated wars

Eliot’s Approach to Ethical Poetry as a Case Study The Love Song by J. Alfred Prufrock

This study aims at showing the ethical approaches in T.S. Eliot’s poetry. I argue that Eliot’s poetry is loaded with ethical approaches that characterized the era in which he lived. Also, the significance of this study arises from the fact that ethics have become buried in modern life. I, among others, feel we need it urgently these days to survive in a nice manner.In The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, readers are shocked to notice male man has become or is viewed as being less productive and lacking decision-making, exactly another copy of Hamlet. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock reflects the feelings of emasculation, not feminism, experienced by many men as they returned home from World War I to find women empowered by their new role as wage earners. Prufrock (2009), unables to make a decision, watches women wander in and out of a room, “talking of Michelangelo” (p.14), and elsewhere admires their downy, bare arms.

Factors Associated with Pediatrician Attitudes over the Use of Complementary and Traditional Medicine on Children in Muscat, Oman

This study aimed to evaluate the attitude of pediatricians toward the use of complementary and Traditional Medicine (TM) on children in Muscat, Oman. A cross-sectional survey was performed using a self-completed questionnaire during the year 2012. A total of 67 pediatricians, comprising of 30 males (44.8%) and 37 females (55.2%) participated in the study. The majority of the studied group (83.5%) was of the opinion that most types of complementary and TM are not safe for children, except spiritual healing, to which 53.7% considered as safe. About one third (29.9%) of the participants reported that they might recommend complementary and TM for sick children in the future. Almost half the participants (52.2%) acknowledged personal use of complementary and TM in the past and 67.2% reported that their family members used these medicines. Herbal therapy was found to be the most commonly used method (38.9%) followed by spiritual (33.9%), cautery (20.2%) and Curucoma (15.7%). Other methods, which include; acupuncture, bone healing and Chinese healing were also found to be in use but in rare manner. Knowledge level of TM and complementary medicine of most of the doctors was found to be low but one third of them acknowledged that they may recommend these treatments to their patients in future. Therefore, training pediatricians on the types, benefits and side effects of complementary and TM is recommended

Factors Shaping Qatari Students’ Interest in STEM, Business or Public Sector Careers

In this article we examine interest in a STEM career in Qatar not in isolation, but as one of numerous career choice options. In particular, we contrast interest in a STEM career with the culturally-relevant alternative career choices of public sector employment and business occupations. We also explore the degree to which factors known to influence career interest in previous studies conducted outside the region – and in particular, the U.S. and Western Europe – apply in Qatar. We aim to answer the following questions: (1) What motivates students to indicate interest in a STEM over occupations in business or the military? (2) To what extent does the education system in Qatar shape interest in a STEM career

Factors Shaping Qatari Students’ Career Expectations in STEM, Business or Public Sector Fields

The purpose of this study was to identify factors shaping career expectations of Qatari students. The study examined individual and motivational variables likely to influence career expectations in STEM fields, the public sector, and business. This study used survey data of 802 Qatari students and 543 parents from the 2012 Qatar Education Study. The results suggest a varied, context-dependent portrait of career expectations. The results indicate that the education system in Qatar influenced students’ STEM career expectations and demonstrate that operating a private business or seeking a job in the public sector continues to rival their expectations about STEM careers in Qatar. The paper concludes with some important implications for policy as well as recommendations for further study and research

Introducing social sustainability aspects in supplier selection : the role of governmental intervention

This paper aims to understand how governmental intervention can drive organisations to adopt social sustainability aspects in their supplier selection process. The successful case study of the recent introduction of the In-Country-Value program at the Oil and Gas sector of Oman is examined. A survey and interviews with supply chain, contracting and procurement managers were conducted and the primary data was analysed. Governmental intervention was found capable of driving organisations to adopt social sustainability aspects in their supplier selection process, but leads to a 'cap' bounded by governmental requirements if the motivation does not come from within the organisations

GENETIC RELATEDNESS AMONG MAIZE INBRED LINES BASED ON ISSR MARKERS AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HETEROSIS AND HYBRID PERFORMANCE

The objectives of the present study were to measure the genetic diversity among eight inbred lines of maize using ISSR markers and the correlation coefficients between genetic diversity and each of heterosis and mean performance of hybrids for grain yield. Ten ISSR primers were used in the detection of polymorphism of the eight inbred lines in a laboratorial experiment. Heterosis and mean performance of grain yield/ha in their F1 diallel crosses were measured in a 2-year field experiment using a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Based on ISSR markers, the genetic similarity coefficients among the eight maize inbred lines ranged from 0.798 (between L17 and IL53) to 0.943 (between IL80 and IL84) with an average of 0.869. Unique bands associated with maize inbred lines were identified. The results revealed that the genetic diversity among the inbred lines based on ISSR markers showed a significant, and negative relationship with mid-parent heterosis and mean performance of grain yield/ha. Further, intensive investigation of a large set of maize inbred lines from diverse populations using a large number of ISSR primers is required for proper understanding of genetic diversity of maize crop. Findings will be valuable for maize breeder, to practice effective selection of parental inbred lines for obtaining maximum heterosis and high mean grain yield/ha in their hybrids

دراسة التعليم في قطر 2012 : تقرير دافعية الطلاب و مشاركة أولياء الأمور

This report examines the views of children, parents, teachers, and administrators toward K-12 education in Qatar. It is based on results from the Qatar Education Study (QES), which is a series of surveys conducted by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) in December 2012. Together, the surveys included more than 4,200 participants from 39 preparatory and secondary schools.يتناول هذا التقرير آراء الطلاب وأولياء الأمور والمعلمين والإداريين حول نظام التعليم في قطر من الصف الثامن و حتى الصف 12( المرحلتان الإعدادية والثانوية). يعمتد هذا التقرير عىل نتائج دراسة التعليم في قطر (QES )وهي سلسلةّ من المسوح أجراها معهد البحوث الاجمتاعية والاقتصادية المسحية (SESRI )في شهر ديمبسر 2012 و قد شملت المسوح مجتمعة أكثر من 4200 مشارك من 39 مدرسة إعدادية وثانوية

Influence of Testers and Watering Regimes on Combining ability and Heterosis of Maize Top Crosses

Thirty-six top crosses of white maize were produced as the combinations of four male testers and nine newlydeveloped inbreds as female parents. The four testers included an inbred, a single cross, a three-way cross, anda synthetic variety. The parents and crosses were evaluated in two separate field irrigation trials to explore theextent of general combining ability and heterosis of crosses using narrow, medium, and broad base testers undernormal and stressed watering regimes. Watering regimes and genotypes as sources of variation of combinedanalysis were highly significant for all traits. The (Parents vs. Crosses) with watering regimes interaction possessedhighly significant mean squares for dates of tasseling and silking. Significant negative GCA effects were recordedfor tasseling date and silking date under both conditions. The grain yield of crosses varied differently betweenregimes. Two testers (I.272 and G.2) and two lines (I.276 and I.278) recorded significant negative GCA effects (favorable)for dates to tasseling (TD) and silking (SD) under both watering regimes. The SC.10 (as tester) and threefemale lines (I.274, I.277, and I.281) exhibited significant positive (unfavorable) GCA effects on flowering dates underboth conditions. Variable GCA effects for ASI were observed among the tested maize genotypes, particularlyunder normal conditions. However, under-stressed one, all tested genotypes showed insignificant GCA effectsfor ASI except I.272, which may be shorted the ASI. Out of thirty-six top crosses, thirty and twenty-eight crossesrecorded significantly unfavorable (favorable) heterosis under normal irrigated trial comparing to twenty-two, andtwenty-one crosses in stressed watering regime for TD and SD, respectively. However, for ASI, eleven and ninecrosses were significantly showed favorable flowering intervals than corresponding mid-parents under normal andstressed conditions respectively. For grain yield per plot about 25% significant superiority in performance of alltop crosses over corresponding mid-parents was recorded under either normal or stress conditions. The investigatedten inbred lines may be of great benefit for hybrid water-saving maize breeding program. Narrow geneticbase tester (I.272) resulted in favorable heterosis of crosses and could be recommended in advanced generationsof homozygosity, whereas mostly based ones may be valid for screening during the first generations of selfing