The effect of firm performance and governance indicators on firm\u27s credit rating in the MENA region

This paper attempts to identify the effects of firm performance and governance indicators on the credit rating of firms in the MENA region. We used ordered probit model considering a panel structure with a dependent variable (credit rating) and six independent variables that include financial ratios and governance indicators. This sample include 2463 firms during eight years (2006-2013). The results of the initial model show that debt ratio, payout ratio, return on assets, rule of law and market to book ratio are significant

“YOU DO IT WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE”: IS NONCONSENSUAL COMDOM REMOVAL THE NEW PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY?

Background: Sexual consent is often defined as the voluntary agreement to participate in a sexual act, though the differing definitions across and within countries make legal consensus difficult. In recent years, due to popularization through social media, nonconsensual condom removal, termed stealthing, is becoming common, especially among young adults. Yet, little to no empirical evidence exists on this sexual behavior. Methods: In this exploratory sequential mixed methods approach, we aimed to address the current perception of stealthing among young adults. College students were recruited from general education courses at a medium-sized four- year public university. Focus groups were conducted to understand the current perception of stealthing, including knowledge, perceived influence, and outcome, followed by quantitative assessment of knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy of sexual consent. Results: Results demonstrated central theme of health-decision making with associated themes of consent, which further included subthemes of privacy, trust, and violation, followed by consideration of stealthing as sexual assault and social norm and acceptance of stealthing. Quantitative assessment showed that knowledge and awareness of stealthing remains low, though sex differences exist on the perception of stealthing being considered sexual assault; with higher rates among males as compared to females. Conclusion: The act of stealthing has been popularized in social media. Our results demonstrate that there is a need for health educators to assess the prevalence of such a behavior among young adults and policy makers to assess the legal implications of nonconsensual condom removal

A Study on Pyrolysis of Lignin over Mesoporous Materials

The aromatics have widespread uses across the chemical industries. Where, the monocyclic aromatics (e.g. BTX) and phenolics compounds are important basic raw materials for several industrial petrochemical processes such as synthetic polymers, detergents, biocides, resins, explosives, etc. Traditional production of these valuable chemicals has been dependent on fossil resources for more than half a century. So, it requires strategies for alternative chemical production from renewable sources especially from nonedible biomass. This chapter presents a review of the recent literature on the fast pyrolysis process for the production of aromatic hydrocarbons using mesoporous catalysts. We focus on the factors that can enhance the yield of aromatics and the lifetime of the catalyst used. Background information on catalyst deactivation during the pyrolysis process was described. The role of mesoporous catalyst’s acidity and textural and topological properties of lignin to aromatics conversion was also discussed in detail

Characterization of aggresome formation in choroid plexus carcinoma.

Protein misfolding is inevitable, 30% of newly synthesized polypeptides can end up misfolded, and such proteins are either refolded or eliminated by cellular quality control pathways. These pathways include the ubiquitin proteosome system and autophagy. In recent years, protein misfolding has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases such as diabetes, neurological disorders and cancer. Studies from our laboratory have shown that choroid plexus carcinoma tumors are characterized by the formation of aggresomes at the microtubules organizing centers (MTOC) in formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor tissues. This was further confirmed by the development of choroid plexus carcinoma cell line (CCHE-45) which was characterized by the constitutive formation of aggresomes at MTOC. Aggresome formation implies presence of toxic protein over load and/or defective autophagy. The role of autophagic flux in the removal of aggresomes was further investigated. CCHE-45 cells displayed an increase in both basal and induced autophagic flux. Furthermore, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 A- variant 1 (LC3A-V1) expression was silenced by promoter methylation in these cells. Restoring LC3A-V1 resulted in the elimination of the aggresomes and the recruitment of Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein (LAMP2) independent from autophagosome formation. Based on these findings we suggest that quality control autophagy in CCHE-45 is mediated by LC3A in aggresomes clearance. We propose that perturbation in the autophagic pathway by the absence of LC3A expression leads to a failure in aggresome degradation thus overcoming misfolded protein overload

The Interaction between Virtual Reality Glasses Tracking Types and Cognitive Style to Develop English Vocabulary Skills and Immersion among Primary Stages Pupils with Learning Difficulties

This paper focuses on measuring the impact of interaction between virtual reality glasses tracking types (Positional - Rotational) and cognitive styles (Impulsivity - Reflectivity) to develop English vocabulary skills among primary-stage pupils with learning difficulties. Five instruments were utilized in the research process and the results reported the test. English vocabulary checklists were employed to identify the vocabulary that will be used in the course of the  research. The test are as follows: an English test to identify the learning difficulties of students in the English Language, the test of mental ability to identify the IQ mean scores of students, a standard test of Kagan to measure the cognitive style (Impulsivity - Reflectivity), and pre and post-English vocabulary achievement test. However, immersion scale and the suggested English vocabulary skills program depend on positional - rotational tracking type. The participants were students in grade five and their number is 89 from the primary stage at Tarek Ibn Zaid school, Minia, Egypt. Using four groups of quasi-experimental design, the research followed applying tests of mental ability, English test to identify difficulties, and Cognitive style test of Kagan. It also followed a pre and post-testing procedure before and after applying for the virtual reality program and applying the immersion scale at the end of the program. The quantitative results of the study indicated that there was no interaction between virtual reality glasses tracking type (Positional - Rotational) because of the lack of direct relationship between cognitive style and virtual reality glasses tracking type, especially in immersion with learning and acquiring English vocabulary skills, and that there is no preferred pattern for virtual reality glasses tracking type with one of the cognitive methods that was dealt with in the research. This is most especially in learning and acquiring English vocabulary skills

TRADITIONAL TO RECENT APPROACHES IN HERBAL MEDICINE THERAPY OF COVID-19

Coronavirus pneumonia disease (COVID-19) is a newly identified coronavirus strain that causes symptoms ranging from cold-like signs to deaths that reached millions around the world. Until this time, there is no approved vaccine has been invented for clinical use, therefore, developing an effective program for therapy is of high priority to save the lives of patients and protect others from being infected. Nature resembles a huge reservoir of anti-infectious compounds, from which innovative ideas, therapies, and products can be deduced. Chinese herbal medicine had succeeded in the treatment of other coronavirus pneumonia such as SARS, MERS and, H7N9 avian influenza which gives us hope to find the targeted remedy in the traditionally used natural herbs consumed by natives from different regions. This work aims to highlight the use of natural traditional remedies to treat viral pneumonia. This systematic review will include studies of the effects of traditional herbal medicine and its role in the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. Although promising results were obtained in many cases, but, only a few studies reported the fractional characterization of bioactive principles and/or mechanisms of action. It is requested that pharmaceutical industries, government agencies, and the scientific community will have a gaze at some of these plants for future research and, to find a potential drug candidates for the development of anti-SARSCoV-2 therapeutics in the near future.                          Peer Review History: Received: 6 September 2020; Revised: 10 October; Accepted: 25 October, Available online: 15 November 2020 Academic Editor: Dr. Sally A. El-Zahaby, Pharos University in Alexandria, Egypt, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file:                Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Prof. Dr. Ali Gamal Ahmed Al-kaf, Sana'a university, Yemen, [email protected] Prof. Dr. Amani S. Awaad, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj. KSA. [email protected] Similar Articles: EUCALYPTUS ESSENTIAL OIL; AN OFF-LABEL USE TO PROTECT THE WORLD FROM COVID-19 PANDEMIC: REVIEW-BASED HYPOTHESES THE RISKS AND ADVANTAGES OF ANTI-DIABETES THERAPY IN THE POSITIVE COVID-19 PATIEN

A Suggested Tests Battery to Determine the Abilities of Savant Syndrome of Autism

The current research aimed to identify the significance of A suggested Tests Battery in determining the abilities that include language, mathematics, art, music, calculus, visual, spatial, mechanics and memory for those with the Savant syndrome. The differences between those who are Savant with autism syndrome and those who are accustomed to these tests were ascertained to ensure that these tests are suitable for those with syndrome and the contribution of the memory test in the prediction of each of the seven tests. The study relied on a sample consisted of 35 students with autism and 35 normal students, they all utilized the tests battery. And the results showed that the suggested tests battery was effective in in determining the abilities that include language, mathematics, art, music, calculus, visual, spatial, mechanics and memory for those with the Savant syndrome. Keywords: Savant Syndrome – Savantism – Autism DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-10-02 Publication date:May 31st 201

Effect of Nursing Care Strategy on Functional Outcomes among Patients after First Time Stroke

Context: Strokes are life-changing events that not merely affect a person physically but also emotionally as it may result in physical disabilities, which lead to functional disabilities as difficulties carrying out daily activities as working, walking, talking, eating, bathing, with loss of energy in addition to depressive status as a result of functional disabilities. Daily nursing care strategies are essential to stroke management since they can overcome spasticity and hemiplegia through sustained stretching by various positioning, the repetitive performance of a specific movement, and teaching the patient to use and adapt the affected limb during functional activities. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the effect of nursing care strategy on functional outcomes among patients after a first-time stroke. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to conduct the current study in the neurology department to be followed through the neurology outpatient clinic at Benha University Hospital. During the period from the beginning of February 2018 till the beginning of January 2019.Subjects: Purposive sample of 171 patients to be at the end of the study period (Intervention group 72 & control group 69), recruited according to the study formula based on the total number admitted to the study settings during 2017. Tools: Two tools utilized for data collection, (1)Structured interviewing questionnaire for patients, (II)Functional outcomes scales, involving: Modified Ashworth scale, Modified Barthel index, as well as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D Scale). Results: Showed that there was a highly statistically significant difference in terms of increased knowledge score among the intervention group compared to controls, as well as a higher level of independence in performing the activity of daily living (ADL), besides, lower depression score among the intervention group compared to controls. It also showed a significant correlation between spasticity with both independence in performing ADL and degree of depression among intervention groups after nursing care strategy implementation. Conclusion: The nursing care strategy effectively improved patients' knowledge and the functional outcomes among intervention groups, revealing a significant correlation between the degree of spasticity with both independence in performing ADL and degree of depression. The study suggested continuous education and training program planned and offered regularly to stroke patients in the neurology and rehabilitation unit. Also recommended written, a simple booklet about stroke and its management should be provided & be available for patients and their families (relatives)