1,288 research outputs found

    CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TRICHODERMA REESEI DEGRADED DATE PITS AND ITS EFFECT ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND INTESTINAL BACTERIAL POPULATION AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS - A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH MANNOSE AND MANNAN -OLIGOSACCHARIDE ON BROILER

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    With the increasing apprehension over food safety nowadays, there have been relentless efforts aiming for subrogating antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry feeds. Thus, this research study aims at investigating the potential effects of using degraded date pits (DDP) as feedstuff and as a natural alternative for antibiotics in poultry feeding. Two feeding experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, the minimum time of feeding a diet containing 10% DDP is required to induce growth-promoting effects on broiler performance. In experiment 2, the influence of feeding 10% DDP was examined as feedstuff at 10% in broilers diets and a growth-promoting agent compared with corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with antibiotic 50 g of 20% oxytetracycline, 0.2% of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS), and either 0.2 or 0.1% of mannose on growth performance, microbial growth, antioxidant and biochemical effects, intestine development and antibacterial gene expression in broiler chickens. Date pits (DP) were degraded with the fungus Trichoderma reesei using solid-state degradation (SSD) and included in broiler’s diets at 10%. Results showed that biological degradation with T. reesei significantly improved the nutritional effect of DP by increasing the proximate composition, monosaccharide composition, mineral content and in vitro antioxidant activities. The results of experiment 1, showed that a prolonged feeding period of 10% DDP to 5 weeks for broiler resulted in better growth than three or four weeks of feeding periods. The results of experiment 2 indicated that there were no significant differences in body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the different dietary treatments. Total bacterial count, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Shigella, and salmonella count, were significantly decreased in 10% DDP diet fed-broilers, 0.2% MOS and antibiotic diet fed-broilers, showing that DDP and MOS have a similar mode of action. The results of the antioxidant and biochemical effects of DDP showed that the activity of antioxidant enzymes in serum, liver, and intestine of broilers fed diets with 10% DDP and 0.2% MOS were increased significantly compared with other treatments, but malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased. Among the different dietary treatments, 10% DDP and 0.2% MOS diet enhanced the pancreatic digestive enzymes, histomorphology of intestine, and weight and length of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Immunoglobulin levels in serum and intestinal contents, the expression pattern of mucin-2, cathelicidins, beta-defensins, and LEAP-2 in jejunum were up-regulated in 10% DDP and 0.2% MOS diet fed-broilers. In conclusion, a 10% DDP diet can be fed to broiler chickens during 1-42 days of age and also as a growth-promoting agent to replace antibiotics while showing a similar mode of action to MOS. The results suggested that DDP can be used as a feedstuff and growth promoter for chicken feeding in the Arabian Peninsula, whereas the DDP is produced abundantly and available at a large amount, this will result in decreasing environmental pollution of unutilized agriculture by-products

    The Relationship between Federal Citizenship and Immigration Policies and the Internationalization of Higher Education in Canada

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    Using Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a way to do Critical Policy Analysis (CPA), this instrumental case study explores the relationships between citizenship and immigration (CI) policies and the internationalization of Canadian higher education. By utilizing a critical-sociomaterial approach, the research exposes actors and actor-networks that are otherwise overlooked in these policy areas. Moreover, this lens underscores the impacts and consequences of policy and how the enrollment and/or exclusion of actors in actor-networks enables certain actors to exert control, power, and primacy over others. While most research on internationalization identifies the academy as the site for internationalization policy enactment, this research notes that the policy topology is spread across various levels of governance and transcends the university into both provincial and federal spaces. The findings suggest that Canada’s CI policies, along with its regulations make it difficult for university administrators to internationalize their institutions, with respect to recruiting, supporting, and retaining international students. International students, who want to immigrate to Canada post-graduation, highlighted that they found federal CI legislation confusing. They experienced both emotional and financial stress because of systemic barriers within the government-sponsored pathways to Canadian permanent residency. They see Canada as a less attractive place to study, expressed that they feel unwelcome, warned that restrictive CI legislation will hinder Canada’s ability to attract prospective international students, and also retain Canadian-trained talent. The analysis reveals three complex, interconnected, and at times, competing assemblages of human and non-human actors enrolled in Canada’s CI and internationalization policies. Through their connections, these actor-networks help the government emerge as a powerful actor in Canadian public policy. By redefining its relationship with provinces and universities, the federal government enrolls the academy in technocratic ways to regulate the flow of international students. This research also highlights the powerful role that special interest groups (SIGs) play in these policy assemblages and their role in connecting CI and internationalization policies. Moreover, the study underscores interdepartmental policy misalignments within the federal government with respect to CI, internationalization, and labour policies. These controversies highlight competing narratives of what is important for the Canadian economy and the value of international students. While most research on internationalization identifies the academy as the site for internationalization policy enactment, this research notes that the policy topology is spread across various levels of governance and transcends the university into both provincial and federal spaces. The findings suggest that Canada’s CI policies, along with its regulations make it difficult for university administrators to internationalize their institutions, with respect to recruiting, supporting, and retaining international students. International students, who want to immigrate to Canada post-graduation, highlighted that they found federal CI legislation confusing. They experienced both emotional and financial stress because of systemic barriers within the government-sponsored pathways to Canadian permanent residency. They see Canada as a less attractive place to study, expressed that they feel unwelcome, warned that restrictive CI legislation will hinder Canada’s ability to attract prospective international students, and also retain Canadian-trained talent. The analysis reveals three complex, interconnected, and at times, competing assemblages of human and non-human actors enrolled in Canada’s CI and internationalization policies. Through their connections, these actor-networks help the government emerge as a powerful actor in Canadian public policy. By redefining its relationship with provinces and universities, the federal government enrolls the academy in technocratic ways to regulate the flow of international students. This research also highlights the powerful role that special interest groups (SIGs) play in these policy assemblages and their role in connecting CI and internationalization policies. Moreover, the study underscores interdepartmental policy misalignments within the federal government with respect to CI, internationalization, and labour policies. These controversies highlight competing narratives of what is important for the Canadian economy and the value of international students

    The Influence of CSR Practices on Hotel Images and Hotel Benefits in Bangladesh

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    This study investigates how hotel Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices influence hotel image and hotel benefits based on the tourist perception of Bangladesh using Elkington's (1998) Triple Bottom Line (TBL) as a study framework. Data were collected by conducting survey using a structured questionnaire. A total of 295 tourist responses were accumulated using a convenient sampling technique in the 4 and 5-stars hotels from two major tourism-based cities in Bangladesh, namely Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. The results revealed that hotel CSR practices (economic, social, and environmental) positively influence both the hotel image and hotel benefits in the Bangladesh hotel industry context. Finally, the findings of this study will aid in the planning and development of Bangladesh's hotel industry and its long-term development

    ADHERENCE TO THE 1999 BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE GUIDELINES AND DIVIDEND PAYOUT POLICY: EVIDENCE FROM KUWAIT

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    The objective of this research is to eamine the adherence to the Blue Ribbon Committee BC recommendations and its impact on corporate dividends policy in Kuwait. These recommendations are deemed guidelines for improving the effectiveness of audit committees of shareholding firms. Both descriptive as ell as analytical methods have been used to test for such effectiveness. Ashort questionnaire as distributed to listed firms in Kuwait as well as examining published financial data of Kuwait firms with respect to dividend policies during . Results of the multiple regressions and sensitivity analysis indicated that there is no significant evidence on compliance with BRC guidelines hen setting dividend policies by Kuwaiti firms, thus hardly any effect audit committees have on such policies

    Retention and Separation Behaviour of Chloropyrifos and Other Water Pollutants Using Polyurethane Foams

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    Heavy metals and pesticides represent a class of man-made environmental pollutants which also occur naturally in the environment. The presence of these pollutants in the industrial and agricultural wastewaters often represents a risk to the environment. Investigation of these species in the water is an important aspect of environmental pollution as human activities contributed to the progressive increase in the concentration of these compounds in the environmental as well as aquatic systems. Therefore, identification and removal (or reduction) of these species to an acceptable concentration are of prime importance. The analytical utility of unloaded open-cell polyurethane foams and foams immobilizing some chromogenic organic reagents (chromoforms) as cellular solid extractor, is considered as a useful addition to the field of separation science and preconcentration techniques. Polyurethane foam allows the isolation of the analyte from the matrix and yields an appropriate enrichment factor. The quasi-spherical membrane structure, the good hydrodynamic and the resilience properties of the foam offers real advantages over the well-known granular supports e.g. Voltaleff which is considered one of the excellent support in the literature in separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of organic and inorganic pollutants from different media. In the present study polyether type polyurethane foam has been used as a trapping medium for the preconcentration and quantitative recovery of some pyrethroid and phosphorous insecticides (commonly in use by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of UAE) from high volume sample of agricultural waters. The detection and semiquantitative determination of bismuth (III) in aqueous acidic media by polyether foam employing 1, 5-di-(phenyl)-3-mercaptoformazan (H2Dz) and 1, 5-di (2-fluorophenyl)-3-mercaptoformazan (F2H2Dz) have been critically investigated. Unloaded foams were employed in static and dynamic modes for the retention and separation behaviour of a series of pesticides e.g. Cypermethrin, Parathion, Malathion and Chloropyrifos in aqueous media. The effect of different parameters, e. g. contact time, extraction media, solution pH, insecticide concentration, temperature, salt effect and cation size of adding salts affecting the retention behaviour of each insecticide on unloaded foam was investigated. The sorption behavior of Parathion and Malathion in the presence of different univalent cation sizes increased in the order: Li+ \u3e Na+ \u3e K+ \u3e NH4+ In good agreement with the solvent extraction mechanism, while Cypermethrin and Chloropyrifos follow the sequence: K+ \u3e NH4+ \u3e Na+ \u3e Li+ Indicating sorption of these species by the cation chelation mechanism . The thermodynamic parameter, e. g. ΔHo and ΔSo for the sorption process of the tested insecticides by the unloaded foams were obtained. The column performance, the critical capacity, the highest equivalent to the theoretical plates (HETP) and the number of the theoretical plates (N) were also calculated and discussed. Separation of some of the tested insecticides was also achieved. Plant analysis of Tomato and Parsley plants untreated and sprayed with Chloropyrifos for different time intervals 24, 72 and 120 hrs. was carried out. The analysis of nitrogen, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, manganese, iron, humidity, wet weight and dry weight of controlled and sprayed plants were achieved and discussed. The qualitative and semiquantitative determination of bismuth (III) in aqueous acidic (pH \u3c 5) employing the chromogenic reagents H2Dz and F2H2Dz- immobilized or plasticized tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) loaded foams were achieved via batch, dynamic and pulsating column modes of extraction. i. In the batch extraction mode, the detection of 0. 02 ppm of bismuth (III) in aqueous acidic solution from a mixture containing the tested metal ion and F2H2Dz was achieved on unloaded foams. The detection of 0.01 and 0.005 ppm of bismuth (III) were also obtained with polyurethane foam treated with F2H2Dz and plasticized F2H2Dz-TBP foams, respectively. As low as 0.02 ppm of bismuth (III) were also detected on polyurethane foams loaded with H2Dz or plasticized H2Dz-TBP foams. The semiquantitiative determination of bismuth (III) in aqueous acidic solution employing polyurethane foam loaded and plasticized with H2Dz and F2H2Dz was successfully carried out. ii. In the flow (column) technique, the detection and semiquantitative determination of bismuth (III) ions were successfully achieved at the ng cm-3 (ppb) concentration level using immobilized and plasticized polyurethane foam with the reagents H2Dz and F2H2Dz. The length of the coloured zone was taken as a semiquantitative measure of metal ion concentrations. iii. Based on the resilient properties of the open-cell polyurethane foam it was possible to detect as low as 5 ppb of bismuth (III) in aqueous acidic solution by plasticized F2H2Dz-TBP foams in pulsating column technique after 25 successive pulses. Semiquantitative determination of bismuth (III) was also possible by this mode of extraction at constant number of pulses. iv. The selectivity of the proposed F2H2Dz-loaded foam on the detection of 1 µg of bismuth (III) in the presence of various interfering ions by batch mode of extraction was critically investigated

    Corporate performance under corporate governance in the GCC countries / Wael E. AL-Rashed

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    This study is an attempt to explore the relation between the new corporate governance enforcement in the Gulf -GCC- countries and management performance at large. Independent variables within corporate governance cluster have been identified to determine their possible effect on other dependent variables within the cluster of management performance. The study provides empirical support of the added value of corporate governance at both the national as well as the regional level. A deductive research method is adopted to better identify the problem and reach some conclusions. It includes a recognized statistical testing as well as a basic arithmetic model to build up some relationships which may lead to some sort of correlations that assist in interpreting and determining perceptions toward the issue. Results have shown noticeable impact of the same across the tested data and calls for more rigid enforcement of legislative governance among GCC firms

    Principals’ leadership skills to meet the national strategy for education in basic schools

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    The objective of this study is to investigate the principals' leadership skills in elementary schools to meet the national educational strategy outcomes based on the teachers' views. A quantitative- descriptive approach was applied. The questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was measured and the reliability results using Cronbach alpha were 0.948 for educational leadership skills and 0.859 for educational outcomes. The questionnaire was distributed in both male and female schools. A random sample of 385 teachers was included. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling to measure the effects of different variables. The findings indicated that the teachers in the sample had five to fifteen years of experience.  The teachers showed principals in the elementary schools have moderate educational leadership (3.39). The results showed that the highest trait that existed among the principals was crisis management with a high-weight regression coefficient (0.693), visionary leadership (0.653) and ethical leadership (0.601). The effect of adaptability, communication skills and strategic planning was less. The least common  traits among the principals of elementary schools were emotional intelligence and decision-making skills. The research suggested establishing a programme for elementary school principals to develop their leadership skills in order to support the achievement of national educational objectives

    Client and employee perceptions of Islamic banking in Saudi Arabia

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