Investigating Digital Corporate Reporting from an Upper Echelons Theory Perspective: Evidence from the Arab Middle East

Utilising the insights of Upper Echelons Theory (UET) and bounded rationality assumption, this original study aimed to investigate the association between corporate leaders’ characteristics and both the extent and readability of Digital Corporate Reporting (DCR). Content analysis of corporate websites of 122 publicly listed Jordananian firms has been carried out. The logistics regression analysis revealed that maintaining a functioning corporate website is inversely associated with CEO age. This indicates that younger CEOs are more likely to retain a web presence for the firm than their older counterparts. The OLS regression analysis revealed that CEOs’ education and tenure were negatively associated with the extent of DCR. Moreover, it was found that Corporate Governance (CG) moderating variables hardly lessen this relationship. The results confirm the current thoughts regarding the rise of CEO effects in corporations with unique evidence from the Arab Middle East (AME). Building on the previous evidence, the study also aimed at uncovering the association between chairman characteristics and the readability of the digital version of the chairman’s Letter to Shareholders (LTS). A hand-built dataset from a sample of 379 LTS from 101 publicly listed firms in 7 AME countries over five years (2014 – 2018) were employed to achieve this objective. Focusing on the clarity of DCR, the results of this second part of this study emphasizes the potential of UET to provide incremental plausible explanations of the variance in the levels of readability of LTS. The clustered regression results of the panel data demonstrate that older and less educated chairpersons are associated with more readable disclosures. Such findings on disclosure styles demonstrate the power of individuals in positions of authority as a consequence of higher education and tenure. Such findings contribute to the evolving inquiry on the significance of readability for enhancing corporate disclosure transparency and have implications for improving the DCR extent and readability

Improved Probabilistic Modeling of Multi-Site Fatigue Cracking

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of fatigue, in the presence of neighboring cracks, and to integrate that into a model that could be used to predict crack growth. A total of 20 fatigue experiments were performed at different loading conditions using dog-bone samples of API-5L grade B carbon steel containing neighboring cracks. The impact of the neighboring cracks dimensions and the loading conditions on the interaction, coalescence and growth of cracks were investigated. A design of experiment approach to study neighboring cracks interactions and growth in carbon steel materials is also presented. Simulation efforts were performed to assess the Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) around neighboring cracks. Models discussing how the SIF of single semi-elliptical crack could be corrected to account for the neighboring cracks interaction were discussed in order to better understand the fatigue behavior. A combination of these models was integrated to find the SIF values necessary for the probabilistic life prediction modeling purposes. Finally, a multi-site fatigue crack growth rate model was developed and its parameters including their uncertainties were estimated. A Bayesian approach was adopted to perform uncertainty characterization and model validation

The Role of Monetary Policy in Shaping Jordan's Economic Growth: A Regression Analysis from 2008 to 2022

Purpose: The aim of this research is to investigates the correlation between monetary policy and economic growth in Jordan during the period from 2008 to 2022. The study evaluates significant macroeconomic indicators, including inflation rate, interest rate, money supply, and economic growth, within and beyond the specified time frame. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of monetary policy on economic growth through the utilization of the statistical technique of least squares regression. Accurate results are obtained using EViews, a widely recognized statistical program. The data for this study is sourced from reputable institutions such as the World Bank and Trading Economics.   Theoretical framework: The importance of this study holds great significance as it aims to examine the link between monetary policy and the growth of the economy, a topic that has been the subject of extensive theoretical and policy discussions among economists over a significant period. Given the current economic conditions characterized by slow growth and concerns about potential deflation, as well as perceived constraints on economic policies, there is heightened interest in understanding this relationship. Consequently, the debate surrounding this issue has occasionally become intense and contentious.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The Methodology plays a crucial role in scientific research as it provides researchers with a framework to follow in order to achieve objective and reliable results. The choice of methodology may vary depending on the academic discipline, with each approach having its own unique characteristics and functions that are utilized by researchers in their respective fields of specialization. In the context of this particular study, a descriptive approach was adopted for the theoretical aspect, while an analytical approach was employed for the practical aspect. By collecting macroeconomic indicators as time series data from 2008 to 2022, the study aimed to investigate the interconnection implementation of monetary policy and the growth of the economy. To examine the stability of the variables, unit root tests were employed, and the data utilized in the study was obtained from reliable sources such as the World Bank and Trading Economics.   Findings:  The result of this  analysis reveals significant findings regarding the influence of various factors on economic growth from 2008 to 2022. The findings reveal a statistically significant negative association between the inflation rate and economic growth, with a significance level of 0.05. Based on this finding, the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis (H1). However, the study determines that the impact of the interest rate on economic growth is not statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. Consequently, the null hypothesis (H0) is accepted, and the alternative hypothesis (H1) is rejected. Finally, the analysis reveals a statistically significant positive relationship between money supply and economic growth, with a significance level of 0.05. As a result, the study rejects the null hypothesis (H0) and supports the alternative hypothesis (H1). These findings offer valuable insights into the connection between monetary policy and economic growth within the specified timeframe. The study highlights the need for further comprehensive research on the factors influencing the growth of the Jordanian economy. Specifically, it emphasizes the importance of investigating various indicators of monetary policy and their effects on economic growth in Jordan. It is recommended to consider inflation rate policies and implement economic reform measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of inflation on economic growth in the country. Furthermore, careful attention should be given to money supply and the policies implemented by relevant institutions, particularly regarding the circulation of money, due to its positive influence on economic growth.   Research, practical & social implications: The aims of this study is to examine the interplay between various monetary policy instruments and the dynamics of economic growth, with a specific focus on the context of Jordan. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of monetary policy on economic growth through the utilization of the statistical technique of least squares regression. Accurate results are obtained using EViews, a widely recognized statistical program. The data for this study is sourced from reputable institutions such as the World Bank and Trading Economics

Chronotherapy in dentistry: A scoping review

The circadian clock modulates almost all vital aspects of our physiology and metabolism, including processes relevant to dentistry, such as healing, inflammation and nociception. Chronotherapy is an emerging field aiming to improve therapeutic efficacy and decrease adverse effects on health outcomes. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the evidence underpinning chronotherapy in dentistry and to identify gaps in knowledge. We conducted a systematic scoping search using four databases (Medline, Scopus, CINAHL and Embase). We identified 3908 target articles screened by two blinded reviewers, and only original animal and human studies investigating the chronotherapeutic use of drugs or interventions in dentistry were included. Of the 24 studies included, 19 were human studies and five were animal studies. Chrono-radiotherapy and chrono-chemotherapy reduced treatment side effects and improved therapeutic response, leading to higher survival rates in cancer patients. Animal studies reported that tooth movement and periodontal tissue response to orthodontic forces follow a diurnal rhythm that might influence bone metabolism. Profound and prolonged local anesthesia could be achieved when injected in the evening. Although the overall quality of the included studies was low, chronotherapy applications in dentistry seem to have favourable outcomes, especially in head and neck cancer treatments

Assessment of multiple choice question exams quality using graphical methods

Exams should be valid, reliable, and discriminative. Multiple informative methods are used for exam analysis. Displaying analysis results numerically, however, may not be easily comprehended. Using graphical analysis tools could be better for the perception of analysis results. Two such methods were employed: standardized x-bar control charts with standard error of measurement as control limits and receiver operator characteristic curves. Exams of two medical classes were analyzed. For each exam, the mean, standard deviation, reliability, and standard error of measurement were calculated. The means were standardized and plotted against the reference lines of the control chart. The means were chosen as cut-off points to calculate sensitivity and specificity. The receiver operator characteristic curve was plotted and area under the curve determined. Standardized control charts allowed clear, simultaneous comparison of multiple exams. Calculating the control limits from the standard error of measurement created acceptable limits of variability in which the standard deviation and reliability were incorporated. The receiver operator characteristic curve graphically showed the discriminative power of the exam. Observations made with the graphical and classical methods were consistent. Using graphical methods to analyse exams could make their interpretation more accessible and the identification of exams that required further investigation easier

Dynamic congestion management system for cloud service broker

This is an open access article licenced under a CC-BY-SA license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/The cloud computing model offers a shared pool of resources and services with diverse models presented to the clients through the internet by an on-demand scalable and dynamic pay-per-use model. The developers have identified the need for an automated system (cloud service broker (CSB)) that can contribute to exploiting the cloud capability, enhancing its functionality, and improving its performance. This research presents a dynamic congestion management (DCM) system which can manage the massive amount of cloud requests while considering the required quality for the clients’ requirements as regulated by the service-level policy. In addition, this research introduces a forwarding policy that can be utilized to choose high-priority calls coming from the cloud service requesters and passes them by the broker to the suitable cloud resources. The policy has made use of one of the mechanisms that are used by Cisco to assist the administration of the congestion that might take place at the broker side. Furthermore, the DCM system is used to help in provisioning and monitoring the works of the cloud providers through the job operation. The proposed DCM system was implemented and evaluated by using the CloudSim tool.Peer reviewe

Chronic Toxicity Assessment of Histological Changes and Micronuclei in Fish Cyprinus carpio L. After Exposed to Copper

This study was conducted to assess the histological changes of (gill, liver, kidney and muscle) and The micronucleus test were applied in circulating erythrocytes of in freshwater fish common carp, Cyprinus carpio after chronic exposure to copper. For chronic tests, the fish were exposed to different concentrations (0.5, 0.9 and 1.2 mg/L) of copper for 3 and 6 weeks. Control fish were maintained in parallel with the experimental groups. Several histological alterations were observed in the gills, including the epithelium of gill filaments and secondary lamellae, degeneration and congestion of secondary lamellae and short villi. The liver showed dilation in cells hepatic, degenerative and necrosis of hepatocyte cell with mild inflammatory cell and accumulation of cholesterol inside the cell. Regarding in kidney, Renal tissue showed congestion and haemorrhage with certain degeneration and necrosis of renal tubules tissue. In the muscle, showed mild hyalinization of the skeletal muscles fibres with the loss of interstitial fibres in between the muscles fibres and focal degeneration and necrosis with mild inflammatory cell infiltration. Micronucleus test was applied to evaluate the genotoxic effects of heavy metals on Cyprinus carpio. Results of micronucleus test showed a progressive increase in the percentage of micronuclei (P≥0.001) with increases in the intensity of exposure of  copper. The obtained results showed that fish common carp, Cyprinus carpio erythrocytes are good models for cytotoxicity studies

Al-Biruni: A Muslim Critical Thinker

As an academic course, critical thinking has emerged in the last century as the one of the important subjects, especially in the second half. But as a kind of thinking and a process of the human reason, it was exist as old as mankind. What are known, nowadays, as (standards) of critical thinking or (characteristic) of critical thinker were used by some ancient Greek philosophers, e.g. Socrates, Aristotle, as well as great Muslim scholars, e.g. al-Biruni, al-Ghazali, etc. al-Biruni was known as a great Muslim scholar due to objectively scientific method in his works. Moreover, he also was famed in comparative religion which early in history of discipline of comparative religion. However, this study attempts to talk about al-Biruni, one of greatest Muslim scholar in history from another side of previously discussion. It is tries to analyze al-Biruni as a Muslim critical thinker based on his monumental work of Tahqiq ma li al-Hind min Maqulah Maqbulah fi al-‘Aql aw Mardhulah or it is known by Kitab al-Hind

Review for the management of vitamin B12 deficiency in diabetic patients on metformin

Long-term usage of Metformin is associated with lower serum vitamin B12 levels. The lower than normal levels could worsen neurological complications of diabetes, including diabetic neuropathy and poor cognition. Guidelines advise periodic monitoring of vitamin B12 but do not specify frequency, treatment targets or treatment modality. This commentary aims to review the prevalence and the severity of the presentation and to provide evidence-based answers to those clinical questions not answered by current guidelines

Referral Physicians’ Knowledge of Radiation Dose: A Cross-sectional Study

AIM: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the knowledge of referring physicians of general practitioners, residents, and medical specialists in Jordan and the Middle East on radiation dose and its impact on vulnerable patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Institutional Review Board approved this study before data collection. A cross-sectional study employed questionnaire that was distributed to respondents (n = 293) of general practitioners, residents, specialists, and therapists. The questionnaire consisted of 29 questions. Nine questions concerned with demographics and the remaining 20 questions were divided into five sections: Radiation dose, ionizing radiation, pediatric radiation, pregnant women radiation, and radiation risks. The mean score was computed out of 20. Chi-squared test of independence was utilized to analyze each question. To compare the responses between the demographic variables groups, Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests were used. RESULTS: Out of the 293 respondents, 128 (43.7%) were aware of radiation. The average score of the questionnaire was 9.5 out of 20 (47.5%). Within each section, the level of knowledge varied. Physicians had the highest level of knowledge in radiation risk (85.7%) followed by ionizing radiation (62.1%). The questionnaire revealed lower levels of knowledge in the areas of pediatric radiation, pregnant women radiation, and radiation dose. The percentages of respondents, (with fair to good level of knowledge), were 47.1%, 34.5%, and 24.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of this study were consistent with previous studies that demonstrated a poor level of general knowledge in referring physicians regarding radiation dose, ionizing radiation, pediatric radiation, pregnant women radiation, and radiation risks