Visual Literacy: A Critical Discourse Analysis Framework

إن تأثير الإعلام على حياتنا كبير وقد يكون سلبيا. وأثبت الباحثون أن الإعلام ممكن أن يخلق التفرقة بين أبناء الشعب الواحد. لذلك يجب معرفة تأثير الإعلام على حياتنا بمعرفة كيفية إنتاجها وتوزيعها واستهلاكها من قبلنا. إن هذا الوعي كفيل بأن يخلق جيلا واعيا قادرا على مقاومة تأثير الإعلام خاصة في البلدان التي تعرضت للحروب. تدعو هذه الدراسة الي ضرورة الاهتمام بالإعلام وتدريسه في الصف لما للإعلام من تأثير على تغيير مشاعر وسلوك المستهلك. تقتصر الدراسة على الوعي اللغوي الصوري فقط. وتقدم الدراسة طريقة نقدية لتحليل الخطابة الصوري في الصف وخاصة في تدريس مادة اللغة الإنكليزية بوصفها محاولة للمساهمة في خلق جيل واعي. هذه الطريقة تشرح بالتفصيل آملين أن تطبق في الصف في العراق من مدرسي اللغة الإنكليزية على كافة مستويات التعليم وذلك لمواكبة التطور التربوي في مناهج اللغة الانكليزية.        The influence of media on our lives, which can be massive, must be understood to guide our future. Scholars have demonstrated that media can create division among people. Media literacy can help learners achieve awareness, studying how media is produced, circulated and consumed. Media literacy, semiotic and non-semiotic, is necessary in post conflict Iraqi EFL classroom to manipulate the impact of media on our lives. This study is limited to visual communication, which is completely neglected in Iraqi EFL classroom. It highlights the importance of visual media awareness in classroom, introducing EFL teachers with a framework of critical visual analysis. This framework depends on the linguistic analysis of media semiotic discourse within its contexts. Consequently, it attracts the attention of teachers to the importance of visual media discourse into Iraqi EFL classroom in an attempt to cope with the development in education in western universities. Visual media literacy can help create aware citizens

Review of Software Testing Methods

With the increasing complexity of programs comes an increased focus on ensuring the quality of these programs. Essentially, it depends on improving the methods of testing the quality of these programs in the two phases of building these programs and after their operation. Therefore, we are developing software testing methods and methodologies. This paper aims to discuss software testing methods and their classifications according to their main properties and any software that suits each method. The majority of the literature on software testing methods and techniques is also included

Marshall Olkin exponential Gompertz distribution: Properties and applications

Generalizing distribution is an important area in probability theory. Many distributions are not suitable for modeling data, that are either symmetric or heavily skewed. In this paper, a new compound distribution termed as Marshall Olkin Exponential Gompertz (MOEGo) is introduced. Several essential statistical properties of MOEGo distribution were studied and investigated. The estimation of distribution parameters was performed using the maximum likelihood estimation method. Two real data (symmetric and right-skewed) were adopted to illustrate the flexibility of MOEGo distribution. This flexibility enables the use of MOEGo distribution in various application areas

Synthesis and antimicrobial screening of tetra Schiff bases of 1,2,4,5-tetra (5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)benzene

AbstractIn the present study, novel tetra Schiff bases were synthesized by condensation of 1,2,4,5-tetra (5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)benzene with different aromatic aldehydes. The chemical structures were confirmed by means of IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. All compounds were screened for antibacterial (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-9144, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC-155, Micrococcus luteus ATCC-4698, Bacillus cereus ATCC-11778, Escherichia coli ATCC-25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-2853) and antifungal (Aspergillus niger ATCC-9029 and Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC-46645) activities by paper disc diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the compounds were also determined by agar streak dilution method. Among the synthesized compounds 1,2,4,5-tetra[5-(4-nitrobenzylideneamino)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl]benzene 7 was found to be the most potent antimicrobial activity with MICs of 3.4, 2.1, 1.2, 2.0, 3.1, 2.4, 1.1, and 1.7μg/mL against the above mentioned respective strains

Self-management practices among type 2 diabetes patients attending physicians and pharmacists: An exploratory study from Lahore, Pakistan

Background: Globally, Pakistan is among the top 10 countries in terms of the proportion of the population living with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured permanently, but complications and premature deaths can be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyles. Self-management is the key to controlling diabetes. Besides rational therapeutic approaches, patient counseling by physicians and pharmacists is crucial because self-management practices are generally influenced by the patient’s knowledge of their disease. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to explore self-management practices among type 2 diabetes patients visiting physicians and pharmacists, and to assess the differences in the self-management practices of patients who visit physicians and those who visit pharmacists concerning type 2 diabetes in the past two years. Methods: This exploratory study recruited 363 established type 2 diabetes patients using a simple random sampling technique. The patients had consulted either a physician or pharmacist (but not both) over the past two years in relation to their type 2 diabetes, and physically visited a branch of a private-chain retail pharmacy in Lahore, Pakistan. Face-to-face interviews and structured questionnaires with a few open-ended questions were adopted as methods of data collection, focusing on socio-demographic and clinical factors, and the standard self-management practices of patients. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The difference between categorical variables, i.e. self-management practices and visits to healthcare professionals, were determined using chi-square tests. Results: The results showed that none of the standard diabetes self-management practices were fully adhered to by the patients. The use of the HbA1C test to monitor diabetes was the least used test among diabetic patients visiting a physician (29.60%) or pharmacist (25.70%). Patients visiting pharmacists adhered to medication use (88.50%, p<0.001), eating a well-balanced diet (75.22%, p=0.050), blood glucose level check (88.50%, p<0.001) and regular blood pressure monitoring (81.42%, p<0.001), whereas patients visiting physicians adhered better to daily feet checking (69.20%, p<0.001) and regular exercise (74.80%, p<0.001). Conclusions: Our study indicates that there is a significant fluctuation in adherence to key self-management practices among type 2 diabetes patients who visit physicians and those who visit pharmacists. Increasing the numbers of pharmacists in the healthcare system who have a special focus on diabetes may improve self-management practices among diabetic patients. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2020; 34(3):165-170] Key words: Pharmacists, physicians, consultation, type 2 diabetes, self-managemen

Detection Antibiotic Resistance of Enviromental Bacterial Strains

المضادات الحيويه توصف بشكل عشوائي للعلاج البشري والبيطري. هنالك عدد قليل من المضادات الحيوية المستعملة من قبل البشر والحيوانات تهضم بشكل غير تام في الجهاز الهضمي وتنتهي في نظام التصريف والمستشفيات وفي النهايه تطرح الى مصادر المياه في البيئه مباشره دونما اي معالجه.      ان المياه نفسها تعتبر عامل رئيسي في نشر البكتريا بين مكونات البيئه المختلفه ، اضافه الى احتواء البكتريا على عناصر وراثيه قابله للانتقال بين اماكن مختلفه من التربه، المياه والبشر.      جمعت مسحات بيئيه محليا متضمنه 50 مسحه من بيئه المستشفى ،15مسحه من مخلفات الدواجن واحشاء الدجاج، 20 عينه من المياه الثقيله، 15 عينه من احواض الاسماك لتكشف عن 16 عزله من بكتريا Staphylococcus (4عزلات من Staphylococcus aureus و 12 عزله من بكتريا Staphylococcus السالبه لاختبار Coagulase)، 19 عزله من بكتريا Enterococcus spp.، 7 عزلات من بكتريا Pseudomonas  و5 عزلات بيئيه لكل من بكتريا Shigella و Salmonella.     اختبار الحساسيه لمضادي التيكوبلانين والفانكومايسين للعزلات تم اجراؤه ليظهر ان 2 من اصل 16 عزله (12.5%) من بكتريا Staphylococcus كانت مقاومه للفانكومايسين و 3 من اصل 19 عزله(15.7%) من بكتريا Enterococcus كانت مقاومه للفانكومايسين ، بينما كانت بقيه العزلات حساسه للفانكومايسين.     كل العزلات كانت حساسه لمضاد التايكوبلانين عدا عزله واحده من بكتريا Enterococcus spp.  كانت متوسطه التأثر به. مدى التركيز المثبط الادنى للفانكومايسين كان بين (64-6)مايكروغرام/مل. اظهرت بعض العزلات البكتيريه المقاومه لمضاد الفانكومايسين حزمه بلازميديه واحده بعد استخلاص الدنا الخاص بها.     Antibiotics are randomly prescribed  for veterinary and human medication. Antibiotics by little number are used by human , animals are digested uncompletely  in their digestive system and ended up in communal sewage and hospitals, eventually discharge in environmental water sources directly with no processing.     Water itself consider as major factor of dispersal of bacteria between different environmental components. Besides, bacteria had  transferable genetic mobile elements to different sites of soil, water and humans.       Environmental swabs were collected locally including 50 swabs of hospital environment , 15 samples of poultry feces and chicken guts , 20 sample of heavy water and 15 sample of fish tank to identify16 isolate of Staphylococcus (4 isolate of Staphylococus aureus and 12 isolate of coagulase –ve Staphylococcus) , 19 isolate of Enterococcus spp. , 7 isolates of Pseudomonas and 5 environment isolates for each Shigella spp.  and Salmonella spp. .           Teicoplanin and Vancomycin sensitivity test of isolates was done , showing that 2out of 16 isolates of Staphylococcus (12.5%) were Vancomycin-resistant , and 3out of 19 isolates of Enterococcus (15.7 %) were Vancomycin-resistant, while the rest of isolates were Vancomycin- sensitive. From other side , all isolates was Teicoplanin- sensitive except only 1 Enterococcus spp. Isolate which was intermediate . The range of the Vancomycin MIC were (6-64) µg/ml . Vancomycin resistant isolates , showed that some isolates have one plasmid band after Extraction of their DNA

Forecasting of Intellectual Capital by Measuring Innovation Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System

Purpose – The aim of every organization is to achieve its set goals and objectives as well as secure competitive advantage over its competitors. However, these cannot be achieved or actualized if staff or workers act independently and do not share ideas. Today prominent businesses are becoming more aware that the knowledge of their employees is one of their primary assets. Sometimes organizational decisions cannot be effectively made with information alone; there is need for knowledge application. An effective Knowledge Management System can give a company the competitive edge it needs to be successful, and, for that reason, knowledge Management projects should be high priority. This means that for any organization to be competitive in today’s global world there is need for combination or pooling together of ideas by employees in order to achieve teamwork; this is in support of the saying that ‘two good heads are better than one’. Due to the advent of the knowledge-based economy and the developments in activity nature of the companies at international level, intellectual capital is taken to be one of the fundamental pillars of the companies for achieving efficiency. The aim of this study is to predict the amount and effectiveness of intellectual capital or intangible assets on the basis of innovation ability of the companies using an integrated artificial neural networks fuzzy logic analysis approach in order to cope with future challenges of strategic management. Design/methodology/approach – This paper suggests some guidelines for setting up the development of valuation approach based on application and adaption of selected financial and non-financial indicators by means of artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic. The artificial neural network model is highly accurate in predicting intellectual capital of the companies. This research paper presents the construction and design of Hybrid Application using Neural Network and Fuzzy Logic. This proposed system uses a simplified algorithmic design approach with wide range of input and output membership functions. In this research a hybrid Neuro-Fuzzy systems modelling methodology is developed and applied to an empirical data set in order to determine the hidden fuzzy if-then rules. Furthermore, the proposed methodology is a valuable tool for successful knowledge management. Findings – The findings show the opinion of that the complexity of development has been improved by expansion in the amount of knowledge available to organizations. Future research should contain of high degree of study to analytically examine the successful project knowledge management in different types of plans, companies and commences. Learning comes through creating and applying knowledge, whilst learning increases an individual's and organization's knowledge asset. Both learning and knowledge management feed off the same root: learning, improved capacity to perform work tasks, ability to make effective decisions, predict future parameters on the basis of some certain parameters and positively impact the world around us. Challenges – Identification and evaluation of the significant factors that create and determine enterprise value in industry is based on complex calculations involving many variables. Regardless of this reason, existing business valuation methods for such companies have to be improved with taking into account a numerous qualitative and even additional quantitative factors.Therefore, economic experts and scientists in the field of business valuation are confronted with new challenges in determination of appropriate approaches that should be able to eliminate the disadvantages of existing valuation methods. The environment in which businesses operate is ever changing. The market has become global and the technological advancement has changed the way business is done. The resulting impact of globalization is fierce competition that has altered the business landscape. Firms are increasingly employing various techniques in order to remain relevant and competitive. Since decision making is considered as the management main elements and sometimes equivalent to management itself, it is essential that researchers pay a specific attention to this field because if decisions are made in an optimized and effective form in an organization. This work is motivated by the need for a model that addresses the study of Knowledge in specific environments such as Business and Management, where several situations are very difficult to be analyze in conventional ways and therefore is insufficient in describing the complications of represent a realistic social phenomena and their social actors. Distributed Agency methodology will be used that requires the use of all available computational techniques and interdisciplinary theories as an approach to describe the interactions between agents in the development of social phenomena. Data Mining and Neuro-Fuzzy System are also used as part of the methodology to discover and assign rules on agents that represent real-world companies and employees. Practical implications – Today most organizations have discovered that advanced trainings can be considered as the key asset for modern organizations. This study presents a forecasting model that predicts intangible assets on the basis of innovation performance in organizational training using widely applied innovation criteria. The research focused on criteria, such as organization culture, ability to respond to organizational technology changes, relationship with other organizations in the training process and the use of high technology in education. The adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) approach has been used to verify the proposed model. It is possible to predict innovation performance and it can also adjust allocated resources to organizational training system for its innovation objectives with this method. Originality/value – A great deal of work has been published over the past decade on the application of neural networks in diverse fields. This paper presents a model that measure and forecasts the intangible assets by the development of an Adaptive Neural Network with Fuzzy Inference system (ANFIS), using data that concern human capital, organizational support and innovativeness. The results indicate that fuzzy neural networks could be an efficient system that is easy to apply in order to accurately measure and forecast the intangible assets by measuring innovation capabilities of an organization or firm

The circulating serotypes of dengue in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Background: Dengue is a mosquito borne arbovirus affecting humans and dengue infection has become a major public health problem in Asia Pacific countries. The virus is a positive sense, single-stranded enveloped RNA virus of the genus flavivirus. Malaysia is a dengue endemic country where all four dengue serotypes (DENV-1,-2,-3 and -4) have been reported but serotype data of Sabah is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the circulating serotypes and other risk factors for dengue patients in Sabah. Methods: This was a cross sectional study, conducted during 2013–2015. A total 579 NS1- positive serum samples obtained from dengue patients were included from Public Health Laboratory of Sabah. All the samples had previously been tested for NS1 dengue using SD Bioline kit. Dengue viral RNA was extracted from NS1-positive serum using QIAmp Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The NS1Ag positive samples were tested further by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase PCR (RTPCR). Results: From 579 examined samples, 58% were from male patients and 42% were from females. Regarding circulating serotypes in the year 2013, DEN-4 was the predominant serotype at 84.54%, followed by DEN-1 (37.24%), DEN2 (18.12%) and DEN-3 (15.10%). In the year 2014, DEN1 was predominant (89.64%) followed by DEN-2 (31.22%), DEN-4 (10.75%) and DEN-3 (9.7%). Interestingly, in the year 2015, DEN-2 (45%) was predominant followed by DEN-1 (27%), DEN-4 (16%) and DEN-3 (12%). The number of patients with multiple serotype co-infections has seen increased in 2015. Conclusions: Our results show that the circulating serotypes is changing within different years. Therefore, early detection of circulating serotypes could be an important approach to prevent severe clinical outcomes during dengue outbreaks. It will be interesting to examine molecular characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of dengue in this geographical area

Transboundary Water Governance in the Kabul River Basin: Implementing Environmental and Public Diplomacy Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

This research highlights the outcomes of the environmental diplomacy workshop held between members of civil society from Afghanistan and Pakistan on water cooperation in the Kabul River Basin, one of the most heavily conflicted transboundary river basins in the world. Lack of trust among these upstream and downstream riparian partners and persistent failures of Track 1 diplomacy initiatives has led to an absence of governance mechanisms for mitigating the water security concerns in the region. This research shows that science and public diplomacy, democratic participation, and social learning may pave a way to clear local misconceptions, improve transboundary water cooperation, and increase ecological stewardship in the Kabul River Basin

COVID-19 vaccinations : summary guidance for cancer patients in 28 languages : breaking barriers to cancer patient information

Background Covid-19 vaccination has started in the majority of the countries at the global level. Cancer patients are at high risk for infection, serious illness, and death from COVID-19 and need vaccination guidance and support. Guidance availability in the English language only is a major limit for recommendations' delivery and their application in the world’s population and generates information inequalities across the different populations. Methods Most of the available COVID-19 vaccination guidance for cancer patients was screened and scrutinized by the European Cancer Patients Coalition (ECPC) and an international oncology panel of 52 physicians from 33 countries.Results: A summary guidance was developed and provided in 28 languages in order to reach more than 70 percent of the global population. Conclusion Language barrier and e-guidance availability in the native language are the most important barriers when communicating with patients. E-guidance availability in various native languages should be considered a major priority by international medical and health organizations that are communicating with patients at the global level