Financial Analysis Of Bank Al Bilad

This paper presents a model for the financial analysis of a bank based on the DuPont system of financial analysis. The DuPont system of financial analysis is derived from an analysis of return on equity that consists of three parts:  1) operating efficiency as measured by profit margin, 2) asset use efficiency as measured by total asset turnover, and 3) financial leverage as measured by the equity multiplier.  The analysis covers the period from mid 2005 to 2009. The DuPont system of analysis assesses the performance of the Arabian institution since its establishment in the Spring of 2005

Potent dual inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum M1 and M17 aminopeptidases through optimization of S1 pocket interactions

Malaria remains a global health problem, and though international efforts for treatment and eradication have made some headway, the emergence of drug-resistant parasites threatens this progress. Antimalarial therapeutics acting via novel mechanisms are urgently required. P. falciparum M1 and M17 are neutral aminopeptidases which are essential for parasite growth and development. Previous work in our group has identified inhibitors capable of dual inhibition of PfA-M1 and PfA-M17, and revealed further regions within the protease S1 pockets that could be exploited in the development of ligands with improved inhibitory activity. Herein, we report the structure-based design and synthesis of novel hydroxamic acid analogues that are capable of potent inhibition of both PfA-M1 and PfA-M17. Furthermore, the developed compounds potently inhibit Pf growth in culture, including the multi-drug resistant strain Dd2. The ongoing development of dual PfA-M1/PfA-M17 inhibitors continues to be an attractive strategy for the design of novel antimalarial therapeutics

Consensus on circulatory shock and hemodynamic monitoring. Task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: Circulatory shock is a life-threatening syndrome resulting in multiorgan failure and a high mortality rate. The aim of this consensus is to provide support to the bedside clinician regarding the diagnosis, management and monitoring of shock. METHODS: The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine invited 12 experts to form a Task Force to update a previous consensus (Antonelli et al.: Intensive Care Med 33:575-590, 2007). The same five questions addressed in the earlier consensus were used as the outline for the literature search and review, with the aim of the Task Force to produce statements based on the available literature and evidence. These questions were: (1) What are the epidemiologic and pathophysiologic features of shock in the intensive care unit ? (2) Should we monitor preload and fluid responsiveness in shock ? (3) How and when should we monitor stroke volume or cardiac output in shock ? (4) What markers of the regional and microcirculation can be monitored, and how can cellular function be assessed in shock ? (5) What is the evidence for using hemodynamic monitoring to direct therapy in shock ? Four types of statements were used: definition, recommendation, best practice and statement of fact. RESULTS: Forty-four statements were made. The main new statements include: (1) statements on individualizing blood pressure targets; (2) statements on the assessment and prediction of fluid responsiveness; (3) statements on the use of echocardiography and hemodynamic monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus provides 44 statements that can be used at the bedside to diagnose, treat and monitor patients with shock

Carbon-cryogel hierarchical composites as effective and scalable filters for removal of trace organic pollutants from water

Effective technologies are required to remove organic micropollutants from large fluid volumes to overcome present and future challenges in water and effluent treatment. A novel hierarchical composite filter material for rapid and effective removal of polar organic contaminants from water was developed. The composite is fabricated from phenolic resin-derived carbon microbeads with controllable porous structure and specific surface area embedded in a monolithic, flow permeable, poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel. The bead-embedded monolithic composite filter retains the bulk of the high adsorptive capacity of the carbon microbeads while improving pore diffusion rates of organic pollutants. Water spiked with organic contaminants, both at environmentally relevant concentrations and at high levels of contamination, was used to determine the purification limits of the filter. Flow through tests using water spiked with the pesticides atrazine (32 mg/L) and malathion (16 mg/L) indicated maximum adsorptive capacities of 641 and 591 mg pollutant/g carbon, respectively. Over 400 bed volumes of water contaminated with 32 mg atrazine/L, and over 27,400 bed volumes of water contaminated with 2 μg atrazine/L, were treated before pesticide guideline values of 0.1 μg/L were exceeded. High adsorptive capacity was maintained when using water with high total organic carbon (TOC) levels and high salinity. The toxicity of water filtrates was tested in vitro with human epithelial cells with no evidence of cytotoxicity after initial washing

Increasing the Effectiveness of Vaginal Microbicides: A Biophysical Framework to Rethink Behavioral Acceptability

Microbicide candidates delivered via gel vehicles are intended to coat the vaginal epithelium after application. The coating process depends on intrinsic biophysical properties of the gel texture, which restricts the potential choices for an effective product: the gel first must be physically synthesizable, then acceptable to the user, and finally applied in a manner promoting timely adequate coating, so that the user adherence is optimized. We present a conceptual framework anchoring microbicide behavioral acceptability within the fulfillment of the product biophysical requirements.We conducted a semi-qualitative/quantitative study targeting women aged 18-55 in Northern California to assess user preferences for microbicide gel attributes. Attributes included: (i) the wait time between application and intercourse, (ii) the gel texture and (iii) the trade-off between wait time and gel texture. Wait times were assessed using a mathematical model determining coating rates depending upon the gel's physical attributes.71 women participated. Results suggest that women would independently prefer a gel spreading rapidly, in 2 to 15 minutes (P<0.0001), as well as one that is thick or slippery (P<0.02). Clearly, thick gels do not spread rapidly; hence the motivation to study the trade-off. When asked the same question 'constrained' by the biophysical reality, women indicated no significant preference for a particular gel thickness (and therefore waiting time) (P>0.10) for use with a steady partner, a preference for a watery gel spreading rapidly rather than one having intermediate properties for use with a casual partner (P = 0.024).Biophysical constraints alter women's preferences regarding acceptable microbicide attributes. Product developers should offer a range of formulations in order to address all preferences. We designed a conceptual framework to rethink behavioral acceptability in terms of biophysical requirements that can help improve adherence in microbicide use ultimately enhancing microbicide effectiveness

Calling by Concluding Sentinels: Coordinating Cooperation or Revealing Risk?

Efficient cooperation requires effective coordination of individual contributions to the cooperative behaviour. Most social birds and mammals involved in cooperation produce a range of vocalisations, which may be important in regulating both individual contributions and the combined group effort. Here we investigate the role of a specific call in regulating cooperative sentinel behaviour in pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor). ‘Fast-rate chuck’ calls are often given by sentinels as they finish guard bouts and may potentially coordinate the rotation of individuals as sentinels, minimising time without a sentinel, or may signal the presence or absence of predators, regulating the onset of the subsequent sentinel bout. We ask (i) when fast-rate chuck calls are given and (ii) what effect they have on the interval between sentinel bouts. Contrary to expectation, we find little evidence that these calls are involved in regulating the pied babbler sentinel system: observations revealed that their utterance is influenced only marginally by wind conditions and not at all by habitat, while observations and experimental playback showed that the giving of these calls has no effect on inter-bout interval. We conclude that pied babblers do not seem to call at the end of a sentinel bout to maximise the efficiency of this cooperative act, but may use vocalisations at this stage to influence more individually driven behaviours

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of oncologists and oncology health care providers in promoting physical activity to cancer survivors: An international survey

Objective: To investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices of oncologists towards physical 2 activity (PA) in cancer survivors, and the association between oncologists’ own PA behavior 3 and PA promotion. Methods: Oncologists (n=123) completed a survey based on the Theory of 4 Planned Behavior (TPB). Participants reported PA promotion behavior, PA involvement, 5 attitudes, intentions, social norm, Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), confidence and 6 knowledge of exercise prescription. Structural equation modelling (SEM) evaluated these 7 associations. Results: Less than half of oncologists reported regularly promoting PA to 8 patients (46%), with 20% providing written information and 23% referrals. Only 26% were 9 physically active. TPB SEM pathways explained 54.6% of the variance in PA promotion 10 (CFI=0.905, SRMR=0.040). Social norm was the only significant pathway to intention, but 11 also a significant indirect pathway to PA promotion (p=.007). Confidence to promote PA, 12 PBC and intentions were direct significant pathways to PA promotion (p\u3c.05). Exploratory 13 SEM pathways explained 19.6% of the variance of PA behavior, which in turn explained 14 13.1% Social Norm, 10.7% Attitude, 10.0% Confidence to Recommend and 17.8% PA 15 promotion behavior (CFI=0.921, SRMR=0.076). Instrumental-attitude was a direct significant 16 pathway to PA behavior (p=.001). PA behavior was a direct significant pathway to social 17 norms, attitude, confidence to recommend, and PA promotion (p \u3c 0.05). Conclusions: 18 Oncologists reported a modest ability to promote PA, low PA promotion rates and limited 19 knowledge of exercise prescription. Patient physical activity promotion may be improved 20 through strategies that increase oncologists’ PBC, confidence and their own personal PA 21 participation

In utero exposure to cigarette chemicals induces sex-specific disruption of one-carbon metabolism and DNA methylation in the human fetal liver

Background: Maternal smoking is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for low birthweight, which is strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic disease risk in adulthood. Maternal smoking reduces the levels of the methyl donor vitamin B12 and is associated with altered DNA methylation at birth. Altered DNA methylation may be an important mechanism underlying increased disease susceptibility; however, the extent to which this can be induced in the developing fetus is unknown. Methods: In this retrospective study, we measured concentrations of cobalt, vitamin B12, and mRNA transcripts encoding key enzymes in the 1-carbon cycle in 55 fetal human livers obtained from 11 to 21 weeks of gestation elective terminations and matched for gestation and maternal smoking. DNA methylation was measured at critical regions known to be susceptible to the in utero environment. Homocysteine concentrations were analyzed in plasma from 60 fetuses. Results: In addition to identifying baseline sex differences, we found that maternal smoking was associated with sex-specific alterations of fetal liver vitamin B12, plasma homocysteine and expression of enzymes in the 1-carbon cycle in fetal liver. In the majority of the measured parameters which showed a sex difference, maternal smoking reduced the magnitude of that difference. Maternal smoking also altered DNA methylation at the imprinted gene IGF2 and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR/NR3C1). Conclusions: Our unique data strengthen studies linking in utero exposures to altered DNA methylation by showing, for the first time, that such changes are present in fetal life and in a key metabolic target tissue, human fetal liver. Furthermore, these data propose a novel mechanism by which such changes are induced, namely through alterations in methyl donor availability and changes in 1-carbon metabolism

Low Variation in the Polymorphic Clock Gene Poly-Q Region Despite Population Genetic Structure across Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Populations

Recent studies of several species have reported a latitudinal cline in the circadian clock gene, Clock, which influences rhythms in both physiology and behavior. Latitudinal variation in this gene may hence reflect local adaptation to seasonal variation. In some bird populations, there is also an among-individual association between Clock poly-Q genotype and clutch initiation date and incubation period. We examined Clock poly-Q allele variation in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), a species with a cosmopolitan geographic distribution and considerable variation in life-history traits that may be influenced by the circadian clock. We genotyped Barn Swallows from five populations (from three subspecies) and compared variation at the Clock locus to that at microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We found very low variation in the Clock poly-Q region, as >96% of individuals were homozygous, and the two other alleles at this locus were globally rare. Genetic differentiation based on the Clock poly-Q locus was not correlated with genetic differentiation based on either microsatellite loci or mtDNA sequences. Our results show that high diversity in Clock poly-Q is not general across avian species. The low Clock variation in the background of heterogeneity in microsatellite and mtDNA loci in Barn Swallows may be an outcome of stabilizing selection on the Clock locus