Success Factors and Potential Problems in Applying of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems

This study aims to review and analyze the industry and academic literature on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, in order to identify possible trends or factors, which may help future ERP initiatives. The study diagnosed potential problems with ERP systems and determined how to solve it. It also provide criteria’s to measure the success of the implementation of ERP systems. Keywords: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP); Information Technology (IT); Project Management

BIO-RESIDUAL STUDIES AND TREATING GUNNY SACKS WITH COUMARINS EXTRACT ON SEED PROTECTION AGAINST COWPEA BEETLE, CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS (FAB.)

Cowpea beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), is the most important storage pest of cowpea. The quantification of cowpea losses through C. maculatus is very desirable. Coumarins possess controlling cowpea beetle. Both Ethanol and Chloroform extracts of Murraya, Kumquat and Celery plants were studied. Murraya ethanol extracts was more efficient than chloroform, as it induces higher percentage of reduction in the progeny, also protects cowpea seeds till 6 months when using the higher concentration (4%). Gunny sacks were treated with different extracts of the three of plants as an application method for protecting stored grain from infestation and ethanol extracts was a more effective than chloroform. The effect of the extracts on the weight loss of cowpea seeds was studied. The reduction percentage in weight increased from zero to 13% and 17.10% after nine months for both chloroform and ethanol kumquat extracts, respectively at the higher concentration used

BIO-RESIDUAL STUDIES AND TREATING GUNNY SACKS WITH COUMARINS EXTRACT ON SEED PROTECTION AGAINST COWPEA BEETLE, CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS (FAB.)

Cowpea beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), is the most important storage pest of cowpea. The quantification of cowpea losses through C. maculatus is very desirable. Coumarins possess controlling cowpea beetle. Both Ethanol and Chloroform extracts of Murraya, Kumquat and Celery plants were studied. Murraya ethanol extracts was more efficient than chloroform, as it induces higher percentage of reduction in the progeny, also protects cowpea seeds till 6 months when using the higher concentration (4%). Gunny sacks were treated with different extracts of the three of plants as an application method for protecting stored grain from infestation and ethanol extracts was a more effective than chloroform. The effect of the extracts on the weight loss of cowpea seeds was studied. The reduction percentage in weight increased from zero to 13% and 17.10% after nine months for both chloroform and ethanol kumquat extracts, respectively at the higher concentration used

Pedological study of Omayed toposequence northwestern mediterranean desert of Egypt

Ce travail présente les résultats d'une étude pédologique de vingt et un profils de la toposéquence d'Omayed (Egypte nord-occidentale). Deux des principaux processus pédologiques exprimés dans les sols de cette séquence sont la migration et l'accumulation du calcaire, surtout sur les matériaux anciens et sub-récents, et la salinisation, principalement sur les matériaux les plus récent

Analyzing the cost-effectiveness of enhancement approaches for rehabilitating water distribution network

Sustainable water management has been a trending goal in the world. Non-revenue water (NRW) is one of the forms of water loss. There is a tremendous amount of NRW, especially in developing countries. The real losses represent the more significant portion of the NRW. These losses negatively affect the economy and formulate a barrier towards reaching water sustainability. Therefore, the aim of the study was to that reduce NRW. A systematic review was first conducted to find the relevant techniques and methods for rehabilitating water distribution networks (WDN), which is one of the methods to reduce NRW and to achieve the research aim which is reducing the NRW, after identifying the WDN rehabilitation approaches, a questionnaire survey in Malaysia and Egypt was carried through five months period from June 2020 to October 2020. The main aim of the questionnaire survey was to identify cost-effective enhancement approaches. A total of 109 respondents from Malaysia and 67 respondents from Egypt, which means a total of 176 respondents were collected and analyzed. The sample size is suitable as most of the targeted population are among the managers and project managers with at least three years of experience in the WDN field. The population was determined based on the top companies and water authorities as the research focuses on advanced WDN rehabilitation enhancement approaches. Then, Cronbach’s alpha, mean score ranking, normalization value, and agreement analysis were carried in the data analysis phase. The results show that cost-effective enhancement approaches are programming, models, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and twin digital. Additionally, the data from Malaysia suggest two more cost-effective enhancement approaches: zoning network and genetic algorithm. These two techniques might possess great potential for other developing countries, such as Egypt. Then finally, after identifying the cost-effective approaches, a comparison between the cost-effective approaches between Malaysia and Egypt was done. Choosing the right technique can help industry practitioners maximize the benefits of WDN rehabilitation. The comparison would help the researchers and industry participants to adopt and further develop the suggested approaches. The discussion of the WDN enhancement rehabilitation approaches can help in adapting them from other countries in the future. Proper WDN rehabilitation supports NRW reduction, which mainly helps move towards sustainable water management in developing countries. Keywords: Sustainable development, water losses, Non-revenue water (NRW), Water distribution network (WDN), Rehabilitation of WD

COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN PERIOSTIN AND OSTEOCALCIN AS BIOMARKERS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS AND FRACTURE RISK IN EGYPTIAN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Objective: This study aimed to compare between periostin and osteocalcin as biomarkers in Egyptian postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and to explore their possible relationship with fracture risk. Methods: This study included 90 postmenopausal females recruited from Al-Hussein University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt; divided into three groups; 35 postmenopausal osteoporotic females with low fracture risk (group I), 35 postmenopausal osteoporotic females with high fracture risk (group II), and 20 apparently healthy controls. Serum periostin, osteocalcin, and estrogen were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Fracture risk assessment was calculated. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and ionized calcium, Aspartate transaminase (AST), and Alanine transaminase (ALT) were measured spectrophotometrically. Results: The diagnostic performance of periostin for discriminating high fracture risk from low fracture risk groups showed the specificity of (68.6 %) and sensitivity of (100 %), while for osteocalcin the specificity was (51.4 %) and the sensitivity was (68.6 %) respectively. Moreover, the multi Receiver Operating Characteristics (multi-ROC) curve for periostin and osteocalcin together revealed improved specificity and sensitivity of (100 %) each. Conclusion: Periostin was superior to osteocalcin in discriminating high fracture risk from low fracture risk postmenopausal osteoporotic groups. Moreover, dual use of both markers gave the highest discriminative power between low and high fracture risk groups with 100 % specificity and sensitivity

Manufacturing process planning optimisation in reconfigurable multiple parts flow lines

Purpose: This paper explores the capabilities of genetic algorithms in handling optimization of the critical issues mentioned above for the purpose of manufacturing process planning in reconfigurable manufacturing activities. Two modified genetic algorithms are devised and employed to provide the best approximate process planning solution. Modifications included adapting genetic operators to the problem specific knowledge and implementing application specific heuristics to enhance the search efficiency. Design/methodology/approach: The genetic algorithm methodology implements a genetic algorithm that is augmented by application specific heuristics in order to guide the search for an optimal solution. The case study is based on the manufacturing system. Raw materials enter the system through an input stage and exit the system through an output stage. The system is composed of sixteen (16) processing modules that are arranged in four processing stages. Findings: The results indicate that the two genetic algorithms are able to converge to optimal solutions in reasonable time. A computational study shows that improved solutions can be obtained by implementing a genetic algorithm with an extended diversity control mechanism. Research limitations/implications: This paper has examined the issues of MPP optimization in a reconfigurable manufacturing framework with the help of a reconfigurable multiparts manufacturing flow line. Originality/value: The results of the case illustration have demonstrated the practical use of diversity control implemented in the MGATO technique. In comparison to MGAWTO, the implemented MGATO improves the population diversity through a customized threshold operator. It was clear that the MGATO can obtain better solution quality by foiling the tendency towards premature convergence

A metaheuristic approach to manufacturing process planning in reconfigurable manufacturing systems

Manufacturing process planning (MPP) is concerned with decisions regarding selection of an optimal configuration for processing parts. For multiparts reconfigurable manufacturing lines, such decisions are strongly influenced by the types of processes available, the relationships for sequencing the processes and the order of processing parts. Decisions may conflict, hence the decision making tasks must be carried out in a concurrent manner. This paper outlines an optimization solution technique for the MPP problem in reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs). MPP is modelled in an optimization perspective and the solution methodology is provided through a metaheuristic technique known as simulated annealing. Analytical functions for modelling MPP are based on knowledge of processes available to the manufacturing system as well as processing constraints. Application of this approach is illustrated through a multistage parallel–serial reconfigurable manufacturing line. The results show that significant improvements to the solution of this type of problem can be gained through the use of simulated annealing. Moreover, the metaheuristic technique is able to identify an optimal manufacturing process plan for a given production scenario

STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN WRITTEN EXPRESSION IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF ENGLISH AND ARABIC AT AL-QUDS UNIVERSITY

This study aims to identify the nature of students’ difficulties in written expression in the Departments of English and Arabic at Al-Quds University. It also aims to identify the impact of each of the variables gender, level, department and achievement on the degree of students’ writing difficulties in both departments. To achieve the objective of the study, a questionnaire was designed comprising 32 items applied to the study sample which consisted of 128 students from the Departments of Arabic and English at Al-Quds University in Palestine. The results of the study showed that students’ difficulties in written expression were fain in degree; they also revealed statistically significant differences in the averages of students’ difficulties in written expression due to gender in favor of females, and the presence of statistically significant differences in the averages of the difficulties in written expression due to level, and in favor of third and fourth year students; there were also statistically significant differences in the averages due to department and in favor of the Department of Arabic. The results of the study showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the averages of the difficulties of written expression due to level of achievement. Based on the results of the study, the researchers recommended the need to hold language activities in class, such as reading and writing articles and short stories, which overuse words and vocabulary that may help to develop students’ written expression, and there is a need to instate a course for written expression on the graduation plans of the above-mentioned departments, and the importance of taking into account students' tendencies when choosing topics that include written expression.  Article visualizations

The Degree of Facultys Use and Stimulation of Students Critical Thinking from the Perspective of English Majors at Al-Quds University

The purpose of this study is to determine the degree of faculty’s use and stimulation of critical thinking skills in the English Department at Al-Quds University. To achieve the objective of the study, a questionnaire consisting of 21 items was designed and applied to the study sample, consisting of 95 students in the English Department at Al-Quds University in Palestine. In addition to that, 11 students from the same department were interviewed. The results of the study showed that the degree of faculty’s use and stimulation of critical thinking skills in the English Department were medium, and that there were no statistically significant differences in the degree of the faculty’s use and stimulation of critical thinking due to gender and performance, and the presence of significant differences was due to level and in favor of third year English majors. The results of the students’ interview also showed that there were skills that teachers used largely as the skill of interpretation and analysis, and that there were skills which were fairly used such as the skill of inference, and the assessment skill was low. In light of the results of the study, the researchers recommended the need for further similar studies on different samples and departments, the need of including a single course in critical thinking in the Faculty of Arts, and the need to hold workshops for teachers on critical thinking skills, especially the skill of assessment.Our deepest appreciation goes to the Deanship of Scientific Research at Al-Quds University for its support and encouragement. Not to forget all faculty members in the English Department for their help. Special thanks to all English majors for their cooperation during the process of carrying out the study. To all of them, we offer our deepest respect and gratitude