Empirical Model for Estimating Global Solar and Diffuse Solar Radiations on Horizontal Surfaces

Solar energy is very attractive because it is non-polluting, nonreplicable, reliable, and pollution free. Four-years intervals measured average daily global solar radiation data on horizontal surfaces at Baghdad and Mosul cities in Iraq were used for the model assessment. Statistical results showed that all four suggested models can accurately predict the solar irradiance on a horizontal oriented surface, indicating the good predictive ability for modeling a horizontal surface. The obtained models have a high value of regression coefficient and give best fit through the measured values. This paper illustrates also the use of mathematical formula to develop a predictive model for the duration of sunshine using measured solar radiation data for above cities. The present work showed that the predicted results were in good agreement with the tabulated data, and the expected solar radiation behavior. Keywords: Global solar radiation, Beam radiation, Diffuse radiation, and relative sunshine duration, clearness ratio dat

The Arabic version of the Stroop Test and its equivalency to the English version

The Stroop test is one of the most popular tests frequently used to assess the function of the frontal lobe in neurological and psychiatric patient populations. Performance on the Stroop test is very sensitive to lesions of the frontal lobes and is commonly used in clinical settings. In 1999, we decided to find out if the Stroop test will be as reliable after translation to the Arabic language as the original English version. We completed the work in Riyadh Military Hospital in 2000. A sample of 10 Saudi adult healthy individuals participated in this study. Their mean age was 31.9 and their mean years of education were 17.3. All subjects performed the Arabic and the English versions of Stroop test. Performance showed no differences between the English and the Arabic versions of the Stroop test. Equivalency data between the two versions of Stroop test are provided. The availability of this data will help us to provide a normative data for the Saudi Committee of Health Education, and in carrying out research on frontal lobe function

Menu Planning Prototype System for Malaysian Athletes

Planning menu for athlete is not an easy task as it involves many constraints and requirements. Different types of sports require different amount of nutrients that need to be fulfill to increase the performance of the athlete during training and competition as well as to avoid any muscle injury. Manual calculation is impossible and time consuming to get the optimal solution that fulfill all the constraints involve. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to develop a menu planning prototype system for Malaysian athlete using optimization and heuristic approach to get the best solution based on the current workflow from nutritionist point of view. This research expects to produce a list of menus for athlete that meets all the objectives and constraints involved

English Language Anxiety: Development and Validation of a Brief Measure

In view of the lack of a short scale for the direct measurement of English language learning anxiety developed in the Egyptian context, this study aims to develop and validate a brief scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed using (362) EFL learners enrolled in first year at college of education, Minia University. Results of EFA proved that the scale consisted of four subscales: (speaking anxiety, (8) items, =.84, writing anxiety (8) items, =.84, reading anxiety (8) items, =.84, listening anxiety, (8) items, =.83). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on 46 items to examine the structure validity. Results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the four-factor model fitted well and results met the criteria for goodness of fit indices (>.90) and root mean score residual (RMR < .05) which means the (ELAS) has a four factor structure in the Egyptian university students sample. The brief scale has good reliability and adequate validity and results of the analysis supported the conclusion that it is a reliable and valid measurement instrument

Improving crop varieties of spring barley for drought and heat tolerance with AB-QTL-analysis

In the years 2002-2003, 323 BC2DH individuals of double haploid (DH) spring barley population were genotyped with SSRs markers. The BC2DH lines were evaluated in greenhouse trials for drought and heat tolerance. Altogether 13 parameters for the determination of drought tolerance and 12 parameters for the investigation of heat tolerance were examined. There were two treatments for the drought experiment, 50% field capacity (FC) level for drought stress and at 100% FC level for the control. We used two treatments for the heat experiment (normal climate and in greenhouse). The traits measured were: relative leaf water content, osmotic adjustment, heading date, number of spikes per plant, number of kernels per spike, number of leaves per main tiller, flag leaf area, first leaf area, second leaf area, carbon isotope discrimination (for the drought experiment), yield, biomass and harvest index. The traits were compared to determine the presence of alleles from the wild barley parent by means of the AB-QTL-analysis. The 97 mapped SSRs covered 1013 cM of the barley genome; the mean SSR density is equal to 11.1 cM. Polymorphic SSRs revealed 54 putative QTLs in two groups. The first had 20 putative QTLs for the drought experiment and the second 34 putative QTLs for the heat experiment. Altogether, 30 (55.5%) favorable allele effects of the Hsp alleles were detected for both drought and heat experiment. 14 (70.0%) favorable effects were detected for drought tolerance. These traits, osmotic adjustment, yield, biomass, relative leaf water content, carbon isotope discrimination, number of leaves per main tiller and flag leaf area were controlled by 7, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1 and 1 QTL respectively, in the drought experiment. Most of the favorable Hsp alleles were located on chromosomes 1H, 5H and 7H (2, 8 and 3 respectively). Under drought stress first leaf area was positively and strongly correlated with flag leaf area. Positive correlations were expressed by second leaf area with flag leaf area and first leaf area. Yield was positively correlated with harvest index, number of spikes per plant and number of kernels per spike. Biomass showed correlations with number of spikes per plant, number of leaves per main tiller, flag leaf area, first leaf area, second leaf area and yield. 16 (47.0%) favorable effects of the Hsp alleles were detected for heat tolerance. Flag leaf area, osmotic adjustment, yield, harvest index, biomass, first leaf area, relative leaf water content, number of spikes per plant and heading date were controlled by 8, 7, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2 and 1 QTL respectively, in heat experiment. Most of the QTLs were located on chromosomes 3H and 4H (3, and 5 respectively). Correlations of heading date with osmotic adjustment, and number of leaves per main tiller were strongly positive. Strong positive correlations were expressed by second leaf area with flag leaf area and first leaf area. Yield was positively and strongly correlated with harvest index.Verbesserung der Trockenheits- und Hitzetoleranz von Sommergersten-Linien mit Hilfe der AB-QTL-Analyse Während eines Versuches in den Jahren 2002 und 2003 wurde eine Sommergersten- BC2DH- Population, die 323 BC2DH- Einzellinien umfasste, mit 97 polymorphen SSR-Markern genotypisiert. Parallel wurden die BC2DH-Linien in Gewächshausversuchen auf ihre Trockenheits- und Hitzetoleranz hin phänotypisch untersucht. Hierzu wurden im Trockenstressversuch 13 Merkmale und im Hitzestressversuch 12 Merkmale erhoben. Im Trockenstressversuch wurden zwei Behandlungen unterschieden: (1) Boden mit 50% Feldkapazität (FC) (zur Erzeugung von Trockenstress), (2) Boden mit 100% Feldkapazität (FC). Auch im Hitzestressversuch gab es zwei unterschiedliche Behandlungen: (1) Normales Klima, (2) Gewächshausklima. Die Linien wurden auf folgende Merkmale phänotypisch untersucht: relativer Wassergehalt des Blattes, osmotischer Druck, Zeitpunkt des Ährenschiebens, Anzahl der Ähren pro Pflanze, Anzahl der Körner pro Ähre, Anzahl der Blätter pro Trieb, Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes, Blattflächenindex des ersten Blattes, Blattflächenindex des zweiten Blattes, Ertrag, Biomasse und Harvest Index. Im Trockenstressversuch wurde zusätzlich das Merkmal Karbonisotopunterscheidung erhoben. Die Merkmalsdaten wurden mit dem Vorhandensein der Allele des Wildgerstenelternteils mittels der AB-QTL-Analyse verglichen. Die 97 genotypisierten SSRs decken 1013 cM des Gerstengenoms ab, wobei die mittlere SSR-Dichte 11,1 cM betrug. Die Karte Scarlett*ISR42-8 enthält vier Lücken mit einem Markerabstand von mehr als 30 cM, wobei die Lücken auf den Chromosomen 3H, 5H und 6H lokalisiert sind. Ingesamt wurden 54 putative QTLs detektiert, wobei 20 putative QTLs im Trockenstressversuch und 34 putative QTLs im Hitzestressversuch gefunden wurden. Insgesamt wurden 30 (55,5%) vorteilhafte QTL-Effekte des Wildformallels (Hsp-Allel) in beiden Versuch ermittelt. Für Trockentoleranz wurden 14 (70,0%) vorteilhaften QTL-Effekte des Hsp-Allels festgestellt. Hierbei wurden für die Merkmale Ertrag, Biomasse und relativer Wassergehalt jeweils drei QTLs, für die Merkmale Anzahl der Blätter pro Trieb und Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes je ein QTL und für das Merkmal osmotischer Druck sieben QTLs gefunden. Für das Merkmal Karbonisotopunterscheidung wurden zwei QTLs lokalisiert. Die meisten der vorteilhaften QTLs waren auf den Chromosomen 1H, 5H und 7H lokalisiert (2, 8 bzw. 3 QTLs). Unter Trockenstress war der Blattflächenindex des ersten Blattes positiv mit dem Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes und dem Blattflächenindex des zweiten Blattes korreliert. Das Merkmal Ertrag zeigte positive Korrelationen mit dem Harvest Index, der Anzahl der Ähren pro Pflanze und der Anzahl der Körner pro Ähre. Die Biomasse korrelierte mit der Anzahl der Ähren pro Pflanze, der Anzahl der Blätter pro Trieb, dem Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes, dem Blattflächenindex des ersten Blattes, dem Blattflächenindex des zweiten Blattes und dem Ertrag. Für Hitzetoleranz wurden 16 (47,0%) vorteilhafte QTL-Effekte des Hsp-Allels ermittelt. Dabei wurden für die Merkmale Blattflächenindex des ersten Blattes, relativer Wassergehalt des Blattes und Anzahl der Ähren pro Pflanze jeweils zwei QTLs lokalisiert. Für den Harvest Index und die Biomasse wurden je drei QTLs gefunden, wohingegen für das Merkmal Zeitpunkt des Ährenschiebens nur ein QTL ermittelt wurde. Für die drei Merkmale Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes, osmotischer Druck und Ertrag wurden acht, sieben bzw. vier QTLs gefunden. Die meisten der vorteilhaften QTLs waren auf den Chromosomen 3H und 4H lokalisiert (je 3 QTLs). Eine Korrelation konnte zwischen dem Zeitpunkt des Ährenschiebens und den Merkmalen osmotischer Druck und Anzahl der Blätter pro Trieb gemessen werden. Positiv korreliert waren außerdem der Blattflächenindex des zweiten Blattes mit Blattflächenindex des Fahnenblattes und des ersten Blattes. Der Ertrag zeigte einen positiven Zusammenhang mit dem Harvest Index

The Impact of Creative Accounting and Auditing on Business Administration and Maximizing the Value of Business

According to the extreme significance of accounting information, the increasing number of users and its significant role in decision making, this study aims to highlight the seriousness of creative accounting and its impact on decision making which affects the profits and thus to maximize the value of business as using accounting can uncover fraud and manipulation of financial statements, resulting the lack of credibility and fairness of published financial statements, from a creative accounting perspective. The creative accounting in considered a contrary to the ethics and behavior of profession as well as a way of manipulation and embezzlement. Thus, the researcher aimed to introduce its methods and ways and its impact on business profits to enable the reader to recognize it very well. As for the contemporary conditions in business world in beautifying some financial information for the sake of improving the financial state in the view of investors in terms of profitability and financial position for the purpose of achieving personal targets, those administrations tend to employ creative accounting exploiting the diversity of accounting alternatives that can be counted upon in financial statements preparation; obviously, this will negatively affect the credibility of these statements and misdirect users. The role of auditor comes in detecting manipulation, preventing it, and reducing its effects due to the importance of auditing in detecting such manipulation in statements and financial reports

Bankruptcy Prediction Using Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks In Jordan

This study attempts to develop bankruptcy prediction model for the Jordanian industrial sector with a recent approach—neural networks. The multilayer perceptron neural network (MPNN) approach was used to develop the bankruptcy prediction model for the Jordanian industrial companies for the period from 2000 to 2015. The samples have been divided into two subsets: the first set for developing or building the model, made up of 14 companies, of which 7 are bankrupt and 7 are non-bankrupt; while the second is a hold-out sample for testing the model, made up of 18 companies, of which 9 are bankrupt and 9 are non-bankrupt. The main variables in predicting bankruptcy were ten financial ratios. The results show that the accuracy rate of final prediction model is found to be 100 percent. While the hold-out sample testing provides that the model correctly predicted all 18 test cases

Legal framework for protecting computer programs in the ambit of intellectual property : a comparative study between Iraqi law (civil law) and English law (common law)

PhD ThesisThe purpose of this thesis is to test the ability of Iraqi law to protect right holders of computer programs and the programs themselves. Comparison is made between Iraq’s Author’s Right Act 1971, as amended in 2004, and English law- especially Copyright, Designs, and Patent Act 1988, as amended. Examining the effectiveness of the rules in both laws for protecting CPs entails four main areas: the nature and legal status of computer programs, the scope of copyright protection guaranteed for computer programs by the legislation, other legal ways of protecting programs and harmonisation between European Union copyright laws and Iraqi author right law. The methodology is mainly doctrinal /comparative. Accordingly, this study has been divided into six chapters. Chapter One contains the general introduction and covers the main features for Iraq as a developing country and the study’s background; its importance, aims and goals, and methodology. Chapter Two examines the nature and legal status of computer programs. Many questions are raised in relation to their nature: are computer programs tangible or intangible things? goods, services, or something else? Should property subsist and if so which kind of property, if programs do not fit recognised kinds of private property, can they be deemed a sui generis? Finally, evaluation the ability of “property” as a way to protect the investment of CPs in Iraq. Chapter Three, test the provisions of copyright and author’s right in English law, Iraqi law and references other laws - US, French, and Egyptian. Iraqi law and the UK law deem computer programs to be a literary works, protected by author’s right/copyright. Iraqi law has started to be consistent with the WTO and TRIPs Agreement. Questions arise regarding the sufficiency of copyright/author’s right to protect computer programs. If not adequate, would other methods provide preferable protection? Chapter Four examines other techniques for protection: patents, contractual terms, trade secret law and trade marks. Chapter Five aims to make harmony between Iraqi laws, international laws and European Directives, to link Iraq with the communities which preceded it in the area of intellectual property. As well as legislation, there is scope for judicial harmonisation using s1 (3) of Iraqi Civil Code. Finally, Chapter Six presents the main results and conclusions and makes recommendations as to for improving the current legal situation.Iraqi Governmen

Fabrication And Characterization Of Electrochemically Formed Nanocrystalline Porous Si And Gaas [TA418.9.N35 B152 2008 f rb].

Bahan hablur nano berjalur tenaga terus dan tak terus (poros silicon, PS dan poros GaAs, π-GaAs) telah difabrikasi dan ciri-ciri optic mereka telah dikaji dengan mendalam. Indirect and direct band gap nanocrystalline materials (porous silicon, PS and porous GaAs, π-GaAs) have been fabricated and their optical properties were extensively studied. In this work, two approaches to manufacture these materials are employed