The Impact of Academic Satisfaction as a Mediator on International Conferences

Scientists have lately discovered that the quality of services has a significant influence on academic satisfaction and academic loyalty. Universities in Erbil are competing attract academics by conducting international conferences. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the service quality in international conferences. A statistical analysis was provided based on data collected from 150 responses from academics at Cihan University-Erbil and other universities in the region. A structured questionnaire was conducted by the respondents in order to analyze their general expectations on conference services and the actual service performance they perceived with the conference. The study also assessed the impact of respondents’ past experiences on their expectations. The findings of this study show that we have positive effect between the total effect of (SQ) the independent variable on (CI) the dependent variable is highly significant with (t = 6.02, p< 0.05), also the effect of the mediator variable (AS) was significant with (t = 7.01, p< 0.05), and finally both the independent variable and the mediator variable (SQ) and (AS) have a significant effect on the dependent variable (CI). We found that the meditation effect was partial but not complete effect

The Role of Workplace Enviousness on Individual Productivity and Organizational Behavior

As a result of its negative consequences for college academics, workplace envy is one of the important areas to study and investigate its results. Thus, this study attempts to find out individuals’ productivity affected by envy in the workplace (CWBI) and organizational citizenship behavior directly benefi ts individuals (OCBI) in the context of Iraqi colleges. A survey was conducted among the lecturers at Baghdad University’s colleges in Iraq, with 182 lecturers representing a response rate of 50%. The researcher used two-step approach with partial least squares-structural equation modeling by Smart PLS to test the hypotheses. As anticipated, the research findings point that workplace envy positively influenced CWBI (accepting H1). Furthermore, results indicated that workplace envy negatively influenced OCBI (accepting H2). The results of this research have various implications for colleges in general and Iraqi colleges in particular. The scientific impact that the results of the present study will contribute to practitioners is demonstrated by highlighting the factors that lead to reducing CWBI and strengthening OCBI in colleges. To enhance the OCBI and minimize the CWBI in colleges, it is advised that the management should encourage academic cooperation and create a work environment suitable for the academics. This can be achieved by forming research teams to work on joint scientific projects and by allowing qualified academics to participate in teaching, supervising postgraduate students, and discussion committees. Providing positive organizational support can motivate the academics to perform better, exhibit responsible behavior, and become productive members of the college community

Principal Component Analysis Technique for Finding the Best Applicant for a Job

This paper focuses on the use of principal component analysis technique (PCA) in choosing the best applicant for a job in Cihan University-Erbil. Cihan University has a panel of judges (University staff) to help in choosing the applicants for a job by evaluating or rating each one on different scale of preference and different type of characteristics. This process usually creates complicated multivariate data structure, which consists of 25 applicants for a job rated by a panel of judges on 17 characteristics [25 rows, applicants, and 17 columns, characteristics]. PCA plays a crucial role in conducting impactful research as it offers a potent technique for analyzing multivariate data. Researchers can utilize this method to extract valuable information that aids decision-makers in problem-solving. To ensure the appropriateness of data for PCA, certain testing procedures are necessary. In this study, two tests, namely the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity, were performed, and their significance is vital. The findings indicate that the data employed in this research are suitable for PCA. Scoring and ranking procedures as extra tools were used to see that applicant No. (1) is the first accepted for a job, applicant No. (17) is the second, applicant No. (12) is the third, and so on

Stability and Release Kinetics of an Advanced Gliclazide-Cholic Acid Formulation: The Use of Artificial-Cell Microencapsulation in Slow Release Targeted Oral Delivery of Antidiabetics

Introduction: In previous studies carried out in our laboratory, a bile acid (BA) formulation exerted a hypoglycaemic effect in a rat model of type-1 diabetes (T1D). When the antidiabetic drug gliclazide (G) was added to the bile acid, it augmented the hypoglycaemic effect. In a recent study, we designed a new formulation of gliclazide-cholic acid (G-CA), with good structural properties, excipient compatibility and exhibits pseudoplastic-thixotropic characteristics. The aim of this study is to test the slow release and pH-controlled properties of this new formulation. The aim is also to examine the effect of CA on G release kinetics at various pH values and different temperatures. Method: Microencapsulation was carried out using our Buchi-based microencapsulating system developed in our laboratory. Using sodium alginate (SA) polymer, both formulations were prepared: G-SA (control) and G-CA-SA (test) at a constant ratio (1:3:30), respectively. Microcapsules were examined for efficiency, size, release kinetics, stability and swelling studies at pH 1.5, pH 3, pH 7.4 and pH 7.8 and temperatures of 20 and 30 °C. Results: The new formulation is further optimised by the addition of CA. CA reduced microcapsule swelling of the microcapsules at pH 7.8 and pH 3 at 30 °C and pH 3 at 20 °C, and, even though microcapsule size remains similar after CA addition, percent G release was enhanced at high pH values (pH 7.4 and pH 7.8, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The new formulation exhibits colon-targeted delivery and the addition of CA prolonged G release suggesting its suitability for the sustained and targeted delivery of G and CA to the lower intestine

Customer Satisfaction on Quality of ISO Standard 9126 Services in Electronic Banking in Libya

Despite the availability of some electronic banking (e-banking) services in Libya, these services are still facing difficulties in many ways, they have advantages and disadvantages, and so far, they have not been understood by some customers to get their satisfaction.&nbsp;&nbsp;This research aims to know the extent of customer satisfaction (CS) with e-banking services in Libya through ISO 9126 standards. &nbsp;The research population consisted of all customers of (Al-Wahda) and (Commerce &amp; Development (C&amp;D)) bank in Benghazi city, a random sample of 180 and 207 clients were selected respectively. Research hypotheses have been tested, and we noticed a relationship between the existence of a strong significant correlation between the quality services of e-banking according to quality standards ISO 9126 software and CS among the banks under study.&nbsp;The value of this research comes from the new scientific results to study the impact of the quality of e-banking services on CS in Libyan banks, and its originality lies because of the lack of this research applied to Libyan banks in general and Benghazi city in particular

Probucol Release from Novel Multicompartmental Microcapsules for the Oral Targeted Delivery in Type 2 Diabetes

In previous studies, we developed and characterised multicompartmental microcapsules as a platform for the targeted oral delivery of lipophilic drugs in type 2 diabetes (T2D). We also designed a new microencapsulated formulation of probucol-sodium alginate (PB-SA), with good structural properties and excipient compatibility. The aim of this study was to examine the stability and pH-dependent targeted release of the microcapsules at various pH values and different temperatures. Microencapsulation was carried out using a Büchi-based microencapsulating system developed in our laboratory. Using SA polymer, two formulations were prepared: empty SA microcapsules (SA, control) and loaded SA microcapsules (PB-SA, test), at a constant ratio (1:30), respectively. Microcapsules were examined for drug content, zeta potential, size, morphology and swelling characteristics and PB release characteristics at pH 1.5, 3, 6 and 7.8. The production yield and microencapsulation efficiency were also determined. PB-SA microcapsules had 2.6 ± 0.25% PB content, and zeta potential of −66 ± 1.6%, suggesting good stability. They showed spherical and uniform morphology and significantly higher swelling at pH 7.8 at both 25 and 37°C (p < 0.05). The microcapsules showed multiphasic release properties at pH 7.8. The production yield and microencapsulation efficiency were high (85 ± 5 and 92 ± 2%, respectively). The PB-SA microcapsules exhibited distal gastrointestinal tract targeted delivery with a multiphasic release pattern and with good stability and uniformity. However, the release of PB from the microcapsules was not controlled, suggesting uneven distribution of the drug within the microcapsules

An effective vision technique for microchip lead inspection

A new effective method for the microchip lead inspection for the chip manufacturing industry has been developed in this work. In contrast to the gray scale pattern matching technique this approach employs selected parameters of binary blobs to perform fault detection and measurements. This leads to a significant reduction of image processing time. A special combination of gray level filtering techniques with gray morphological operations enhances the borders of the lead images. Newly developed threshold calibration technique significantly improves the measurement accuracy. A unique statistical analysis has been developed to identify all possible lead defects in the chips. This method is rotationally and scale invariant and able to detect defective leads for the chips with different specifications. The minimum required information about the microchip is the number of leads

Ethical Leadership Role in Job Embeddedness and Job Involvement ‎

The aim of this article is to verify the relationship between ethical leadership (EL) and job embeddedness (JE) and job involvement (JI) in charity organizations in Erbil province, Iraq. Also, identifying the role of ethical leadership in enhancing job involvement and job embeddedness. The data were collected by questionnaire distributed to 320 staff working at charity organizations in Erbil, Iraq. The data were analyzed by IBM-SPSS 26 to test the hypothesis of the study. The outcome of this article showed a positive relationship between EL and JE and JI. Also, there is a positive effect between the EL and JE. The implication of the study point to the essential role of ethical leadership in changing employees’ attitudes positively toward job involvement and satisfaction

A System Based on Fuzzy Logic to Manage Operations in Container Yards

This article focuses on the assignment of arrived containers to pre-existing stacks stored in one of the container yards, particularly when the containers' date of departure and time are unknown. This becomes more difficult when different-sized, typed, and weighted containers needs be stored in pre-existing containers yard. The main objective is to create a Fuzzy Knowledge-Based System (FKB_CYM) that considers practical factors and limitations such as container quantity per stack and customer, type, size, and weight. Various tools and methodologies are used, including Discrete Event (DE), Fuzzy Knowledge-Based Modelling (FKBM), and a Neighborhood Algorithm (NA). The paper thoroughly discusses and evaluates the system's findings