An Exploratory Study of HRM Practices in the Hospitality Sector of Saudi Arabia

Effective human resource management practices are considered to be very important for the overall success of an organization. We have investigated the prevailing human resource management practices in the hospitality sector of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews from the human resource managers and general managers of hotels operating in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Finding of the study shows that proper human resource management practices are not adopted, especially very little attention is given to employees training and development and their performance appraisals. Mangers are confronted with a number of challenges due to ineffective human resource management practices. Limitations of the study and future research directions are given Keywords: HRM practices, Hospitality sector and Saudi Arabia

Exploring Service Quality in the Hospitality Sector from the Perspective of Religious Tourists in Saudi Arabia

In a developing country like KSA some studies have explored individual concepts regarding service quality and customer satisfaction, but fewer if none have investigated their relationship in hotel industry. Clients’ perceptions seem to be largely ignored by the management in hotel industry. Therefore, this study is a customer-centered one and focuses on examining service quality indicated by differences of clients’ expectations and perceptions. It also examines the link between clients’ perception and their overall satisfaction with hotel services. Respondents were interviewed using a modified SERVQUAL (Service quality) questionnaire. Results of the study reveals that relatively high customer perception scores were found for understanding of speci?c needs of client, individual attention by the company, interest in solving client’s problems etc. and low perception was found for advanced reservation technology, employees behavior towards customers , just in time service etc. the article concludes by giving Future research directions and policy recommendations. Keywords: Service Quality, Religious Tourists, Perceptions, Saudi Arabia

23. Does the maximum allowable contrast dose (MACD) predict the risk of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)

BackgroundCIN is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Some studies recommend the utilization of the MACD formula to guide safe contrast dosing, however the evidence supporting use of this measure is limited.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine if MACD is helpful in predicting the risk of CIN in patients with CKD.Methods8670 patients who underwent coronary angiography in our center with or without Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) (2008–2013) were included. Patients with CKD (n=144) were selected. Patients in shock, on intra aortic balloon pump, on prophylactic hemofiltration or on dialysis were excluded.Creatinine was measured 48–72h post procedure. T-test, Chi-Square and multiple regression were used to compare those patients who developed CIN and those who did not develop CIN. CIN was defined as an increase in serum creatinine by ⩾25% or 0.5mg/dL from baseline within 48–72h after contrast exposure.ResultsCIN occurred in 28 patients (19.4%). Only 8 (5.6%) of the 144 patients exceeded MACD and 2 of these patients developed CIN. The use of biplane angiography explains the lower contrast dose. For this reason the impact of exceeding MACD could not be evaluated. Primary PCI was associated with CIN (p=0.012; OR 5.1)).ConclusionOverall it is best to limit contrast dose to the extent possible as this is a known risk factor, however MACD is not a useful variable in a risk model for predicting CIN in our population. Primary PCI was the only predictor of CIN in our population

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

Stimulation of insulin secretion by 5-methylcoumarins and its sulfur analogues isolated from Clutia lanceolata Forssk

Clutia lanceolata Forssk. (C. lanceolata) is a medicinal plant native to sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of C. lanceolata yielded twenty-one coumarins including methylthio and methylsulfinyl-coumarins. Thirteen of these compounds are reported here for the first time, named as cluteolin A to M. The remaining eight compounds are known but have not been associated previously with C. lanceolata. The structures of the undescribed compounds were elucidated from their 2D NMR and MS spectra. Single crystal X-ray analyses confirmed the structures of eleven compounds. As, in Saudi Arabian tradition, C. lanceolata has been reported to have anti-diabetic and anti-fungal properties, the coumarins were examined for their biological activity. Seven compounds strongly enhanced the glucose-triggered release of insulin by murine pancreatic islets, with two compounds showing more than two-fold enhancement of insulin secretion, compared with the standard drug glimepiride.</p

Stimulation of insulin secretion by 5-methylcoumarins and its sulfur analogues isolated from Clutia lanceolata Forssk

Clutia lanceolata Forssk. (C. lanceolata) is a medicinal plant native to sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of C. lanceolata yielded twenty-one coumarins including methylthio and methylsulfinyl-coumarins. Thirteen of these compounds are reported here for the first time, named as cluteolin A to M. The remaining eight compounds are known but have not been associated previously with C. lanceolata. The structures of the undescribed compounds were elucidated from their 2D NMR and MS spectra. Single crystal X-ray analyses confirmed the structures of eleven compounds. As, in Saudi Arabian tradition, C. lanceolata has been reported to have anti-diabetic and anti-fungal properties, the coumarins were examined for their biological activity. Seven compounds strongly enhanced the glucose-triggered release of insulin by murine pancreatic islets, with two compounds showing more than two-fold enhancement of insulin secretion, compared with the standard drug glimepiride

Eradication Of Endodontic Infection By Instrumentation Role Of Nursing In The Management

There are a number of various working processes that are involved in endodontic therapy. These procedures include the isolation of the operating field, access to the pulp chamber, cleaning and shaping stages, and finally, the necessity for a three-dimensional filling of the canals. During each stage, a set of instruments that are either single-use or sterilizable is required. Nursing has a very essential part in the management of endodontic infection eradication because they will be the first line of defense in recognizing the symptoms being experienced by the patient. When it comes to reusable tools, it is essential to pay attention to the removal of material that has been deposited on the blades, which is not easy to remove manually. This review demonstrated that the use of single-use or first-use instruments necessitates the implementation of procedures associated with presterilization or sterilization

Patient Perceptions About Nutrition And Skin Health In City Of Makkah

Consequently, many clinical studies have linked nutrition with skin physiology. It is doubtful whether such individuals who consult doctors practicing dermatology are aware of such research findings and are uncertain of the reliable source of such information. We talked about the patient\u27s view concerning diet and skin care, such as the factors they think had negative or positive effects on their skin and the types of information they accessed from where Methods: A questionnaire was distributed among the enrolled participants, which was 409 total, from people in the city of Mecca. This survey gave their views on the role of nutrition. The responses were classified as diseases. Results and discussion: Of the 409 respondents, nearly 83% believed that diet impacts the health of their skin. No case of agreement differed more likely between the respondents with healthy skin and those with general skin diseases (P = 0.34). The subjects reported that the information about skin diseases they found was more likely to have come from trustworthy sources, like medical professionals and scholarly literature (p=0.02). Furthermore, a P-value of .002 showed that people whose opinions differed from opinion leaders tended to satisfy their information needs from reliable sources. Nevertheless, this occurrence of P-value 0.046 indicates that the relation is getting weaker when blogging is online. Conclusions: All healthcare professionals must be updated about the changing online resources as more patients are conversant with the Internet. With our research, dermatologists can give nutrition advice that will be helpful to their patients