Demodicosis: A Neglected Cutaneous Parasitic Disease in Face Lesions Examination

Background: Demodicosis in humans was caused by two species of Demodex called folliculorum and brevis. The disease is seen in male and female. Although, there is no clinical symptoms in individuals with normal immunity system, but in many cases, dermatitis, rough, dry and scaly skin rosacea, particularly asymmetrical papulopustular or granulomatous variants and in some cases, perioral dermatitis, blepharitis [inflammation of the eyelid margins] are observed. In this report 16 cases of demodicosis diagnosed in recent years are presented.Cases: Suspected patients with dermatophytosis who referred to the laboratory were examined in this study. In sampling, slide preparation and microscopic evaluation Demodex species was observed. In two cases, co- infection of dermatophytosis and demodicosis were demonstrated. Seven [43.75%] out of 16 patients were male and nine [56.25%] were female. In this study, 16 persons [4- 52 years old] were considered. None of the patients had any information about their disease and the cause .The patients were referred to the laboratory for fungi examination.Conclusion: Demodicosis is a cutaneous parasitic disease and it is necessary that the parasitologists and mycologists consider the demodicosis during the sampling, preparation of slide and microscopic examination of cutaneous lesions

A study of some M[x]/G/1 type queues with random breakdowns and bernouilli schedule server vacations based on a single vacation policy

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Queueing systems arise in modelling of many practical applications related to computer sciences, telecommunication networks, manufacturing and production, human computer interaction, and so on. The classical queueing system, even vacation queues or queues subject to breakdown, might not be sufficiently realistic. The purpose of this research is to extend the work done on vacation queues and on unreliable queues by studying queueing systems which take into consideration both phenomena. We study the behavior of a batch arrival queueing system with a single server, where the system is subject to random breakdowns which require a repair process, and on the other hand, the server is allowed to take a vacation after finishing a service. The breakdowns are assumed to occur while serving a customer, and when the system breaks down, it enters a repair process immediately while the customer whose service is interrupted comes back to the head of the queue waiting for the service to resume. Server vacations are assumed to follow a Bernoulli schedule under single vacation policy. We consider the above assumptions for different queueing models: queues with generalized service time, queues with two-stages of heterogeneous service, queues with a second optional service, and queues with two types of service. For all the models mentioned above, it is assumed that the service times, vacation times, and repair times all have general arbitrary distributions. Applying the supplementary variable technique, we obtain probability generating functions of queue size at a random epoch for different states of the system, and some performance measures such as the mean queue length, mean waiting time in the queue, proportion of server's idle time, and the utilization factor. The results obtained in this research, show the effect of vacation and breakdown parameters upon main performance measures of interest. These effects are also illustrated using some numerical examples and graphs.This work is funded by the Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Bahrain

Sustainable Public Procurement in the Kuwait Public Sector

Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) is the act of integrating the sustainable development concept into the procurement operations undertaken by the government. The extension of sustainability to public procurement is an emerging area of research; the literature provides little evidence on how to address SPP in general, and specifically in a developing country context. This thesis aims to bridge this gap by investigating the practices of SPP in a developing country such as Kuwait. The primary objective of this doctoral thesis is to assess the current SPP policies and practices in the Kuwait public sector organizations and to identify the main drivers and barriers currently faced by public organizations in their efforts in implementing SPP. This thesis employs quantitative and qualitative research methods supported by the Purchasing Social Responsibility (PSR) model. The data used in the thesis was collected through tender document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires distributed among officials in the Kuwait public sector. The results show that some SPP practices are present in the public procurement process. The government is mainly stimulating local industry through intensive use of local products and resources and supporting local suppliers’ business; the findings also convey that health and safety and human rights aspects are the most embedded SPP practices. The results indicate that currently, there is a significant effect of cultural norms and Islam religious beliefs on SPP practices in Kuwait. The finding also shows that financial considerations, whether as the costs of sustainability or its financial benefits, are the most significant factors for implementing SPP in Kuwait public sector organizations. Accordingly, this study has policy implications; I believe that the determinants of sustainability-oriented procurement that resulted from this thesis are useful to public procurement managers, policy makers and SPP scholars, as they could be used as a basis for developing a practical managerial framework, guidelines, and policies to procure more sustainably

Lysozyme activity in the plasma of rodents infected with their homologous trypanosomes

BACKGROUND In this study the concentration of lysozyme in blood plasma of Microtus agrestis, Clethrinomys glareolus, Apodemus sylvaticus, BK rats and outbred white mice before and after infection with culture forms of Trypanosoma microti, T, evotomys, T. grosi, T. lewisi and T. musculi respectively was measured. METHODS Blood samples of rodents, Microtus agrestis, Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus sylvaticus, BK rats and outbred mice infected with T. microti, T. evotomys, T. grosi, T. lewisi and T. musculi respectively were collected in heparinized micro- tubes immediately before inoculation and 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 and more than 400 days after intra- perituneal inoculation with 5×10(5)of their homologous trypanosome parasites of which more than half were metacyclic trypomastigote in 0.2 ml of culture medium. Micro- tubes were centrifuged and plasma samples were separated and the lysozyme activity was measured by the agar method. RESULTS Levels of lysozyme rose rapidly three to six days after the inoculation to ten to twenty than their pre- infection levels. They then gradually decreased, although after more than one year they were still two to ten folds higher than controls. The highest level measured occurred in rats infected with T. lewisi and the lowest in A. sylvaticus infected with T. grosi. After one year the highest concentration of lysozyme was in mice infected with T. musculi and lowest in A. sylvaticus. CONCLUSION Persistent enhanced lysozyme levels may prevent re- infection with trypanosomes

The Role of Liberal Arts Education on Academic Choices: The American University in Cairo Case Study

Providing a qualified higher education is a crucial component of any developmental plan in any country. This paper tackles the issue of educational decisions and will mainly focus on presenting the American University in Cairo (AUC) as a case study. The paper addresses undergraduate college students’ choices of their subjects and fields of study during the first year of university and how liberal arts education influence such decisions. The main aim is to build valuable recommendations to ease the transition of students from high school to universities, help them rationally choose their area of study, facilitate the financial burden on students and their families, eliminate discrimination among students, and highlight the importance of inclusivity of various types of students in the academic institutions to have well-rounded candidates who serve the developmental plans of their country. The research proves the close relationship between the previously mentioned factors and students’ academic decisions. Using the liberal arts concepts while updating curriculums and policies may benefit students. Realize career plans and have compatible jobs. Assessing and improving the relevance of the Egyptian higher education system could be one of the leading forces behind the country’s development and growth

MESIN PENGGILING KEDELAI 20 Kg/Jam UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL RPODUKSI TAHU

Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat (PKM) yang dilakukan bekerja sama dengan mitra Usaha Produksi Tahu di Desa Karang Rejo, Dusun Pelita, Stabat, Kabupaten langkat. Proses produksi sari pati dari kacang kedelai masih menggunakan jasa penggilingan, sehingga mitra terkendala pada biaya jasa dalam proses penggilingan. Tujuan dari kegiatan ini adalah untuk membantu mitra dalam meningkatkan produktivitas usaha tahu. Melalui kegiatan PKM ini diharapkan dapat memperbaiki kinerja mitra dalam produksi tahu. Kegiatan PKM ini dilakukan melalui beberapa tahapan yaitu: survei terhadap permasalahan mitra, pengadaan mesin penggiling kedelai, dan pelatihan singkat tentang pengoperasian dan perawatan mesin. Program ini berjalan baik dan lancar dimana mitra sudah dapat menggiling kedelai sendiri dengan kapasitas penggilingan 20 Kg/Jam dan juga dengan adanya pelatihan dan pendampingan kepada mitra, mitra sudah paham dalam proses pemeliharaan mesin, pemasaran, Administrasi, dan juga manajemen keuangan

PENINGKATAN HARD SKILL SISWA MELALUI PENGENALAN INTERNET OF THINGS DAN COMPUTER VISION

SMK TIK Darussalam adalah lembaga pendidikan yang diakui untuk menghasilkan siswa yang profesional dan berbasis IT untuk bersaing di pasar kerja global. adalah salah satu bagian dari Yayasan Pendidikan Islam Miftahussalam. Oleh karena itu, sejarah SMK TIK Darussalam Medan ini berfokus pada aspek kelembagaan secara periodisasi, sementara pembahasan tentang status kelembagaan, lokasi sekolah, dan kurikulum yang dibatasi. Hasil dari wawancara yang dilakukan oleh tim PKM dengan sekolah tersebut menunjukkan bahwa SMK TIK Darussalam Medan belum pernah menggunakan teknologi Internet of Things. Siswa Kelas X SMK TIK Darussalam Medan, yang terdiri dari 17 orang, ditargetkan. PKM ini menggunakan metode dalam bentuk seminar atau ceramah. Tempat pengabdian ini terletak di lingkungan SMK TIK Darussalam Medan, yang berlangsung selama 7 jam. karena nilai post test cenderung mengalami kenaikan dari nilai pre test&nbsp

Human Dirofilaria repens infection of the breast: a case report

Background: Dirofilariasis is a common helminthic parasitic disease in both domestic and wild animals around the world, with canines as the principal reservoir host and mosquitoes as the vector.  Human dirofilariasis has been reported from many parts of the world, including Africa, Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Asia.Case Report: A 40 year old woman from Abadan city Southwest of Iran referred to surgeon with a nodule on her right breast. Ultrasound and mammography revealed a nodule diagnosed as parasitic lesion. After resection of the nodule, tissue was placed in 10% formaldehyde and sent to pathology laboratory. In histopathological examination, cross section of a worm surrounded with necrotic tissue, associated with infiltration of Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and foreign body giant cells observed which was morphologically compatible with Dirofilaria repens.Conclusion: Human dirofilariasis should be considered in endemic regions

Deoxyribonucleic acid damage in Iranian veterans 25 years after wartime exposure to sulfur mustard

• Background: More than 100,000 Iranian veterans and civilians still suffer from various long-term complications due to their exposure to sulfur mustard (SM) during the Iran–Iraq war in 1983–88. The aim of the study was to investigate DNA damage of SM in veterans who were exposed to SM, 23–27 years prior to this study. • Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained from the veterans and healthy volunteers as negative controls. Lymphocytes were isolated from blood samples and DNA breaks were measured using single-cell microgel electrophoresis technique under alkaline conditions (comet assay). Single cells were analyzed with “Tri Tek Comet Score version 1.5” software and DNA break was measured based on the percentage of tail DNA alone, or in the presence of H2O2 (25 μM) as a positive control. • Results: A total of 25 SM exposed male veterans and 25 male healthy volunteers with similar ages (44.66 ± 6.2 and 42.12 ± 5.75 years, respectively) were studied. Percentage of the lymphocyte DNA damage was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the SM-exposed individuals than in the controls (6.47 ± 0.52 and 1.31 ± 0.35, respectively). Percentages of DNA damage in the different age groups of 35–39, 40–44, 45–49, and 50–54 years in SM-exposed veterans (5.48 ± 0.17, 6.7 3 ± 1.58, 6.42 ± 0.22, and 7.27 ± 0.38, respectively) were all significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the controls (1.18 ± 0.25, 1.53 ± 0.22, 1.27 ± 0.20, and 1.42 ± 0.10, respectively). The lymphocytes incubated with H2O2 had much higher DNA damage as expected. The average of tail DNA is 42.12 ± 2.75% for control cells + H2O2 and 18.48 ± 2.14% for patients cells + H2O2; P < 0.001. • Conclusion: SM exposure of the veterans revealed DNA damage as judged by the comet assay