76 research outputs found

    Degree of Harmony of Preparation of Human Resources In Private Universities With Requirements of Labour Market

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    This study aimed at estimating the degree of harmony of preparation of human resources in the private universities with  the requirements of the labour market from the point of view of the academic leaders, students, and leaders of labour market. And to achieve these objectives the researcher developed a questionnaire consisted of two parts, the first part concerns about the academic leaders and students, and consists of (71) paragraphs, distributed into eight fields, and the second part concerns about leaders of the labour market, and consists of (40) paragraphs. After making sure of their validity and reliability they were applied on the academic leaders and students of the year of graduation and leaders of labour market. And the results of study deduced that the estimation of the degree of harmony of preparation of human resources in the private universities with the requirements of labour market, from the point of view of the academic leaders came at a great degree. But for the students and leaders of labour market had come at a medium estimation. Key words: harmony, preparation of human resources, higher education institutions labour market, academicians, and students

    A Business Analytics Approach to Strategic Management using Uncovering Corporate Challenges through Topic Modeling

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    Business analytics is a robust strategic management tool, and topic modeling is a technique that can be leveraged to derive insights from vast collections of unstructured data. Topic modeling is an automated method that identifies abstract concepts, or topics, present in various data sources, such as customer feedback, social media posts, and news articles. Through topic modeling, organizations can gain a better understanding of their customers, competitors, and market trends, which can be used to make informed strategic decisions, such as identifying new business opportunities, enhancing product or service offerings, and recognizing potential risks. Moreover, by integrating topic modeling with other business analytics approaches, such as predictive modeling, organizations can gain a more comprehensive perspective of their performance and make data-driven decisions. In essence, topic modeling is a valuable tool for strategic management that provides organizations with the insights they need to stay ahead of the competition and make informed decisions. To make effective strategic decisions, it is crucial to comprehend an organizations internal and external environments fully. The proposed approach utilizes text-mining techniques to augment traditional management tools, such as SWOT analysis or growth-share matrix. By examining narrative materials, such as financial disclosures, we apply topic modeling to identify critical challenges faced by an organization. We then quantify the language used in these materials in terms of risk and optimism, which provides a detailed understanding of a companys strengths and weaknesses and helps identify business units, activities, and processes that may be at risk. Additionally, this approach can be used to compare a company with its competitors or the broader market

    Molecular characterization of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in ixodid ticks and reservoir hosts from Palestine: a pilot survey

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    Tick-borne anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are clinically important emerging zoonoses usually overlooked by veterinarians and physicians alike. This study aimed at detecting and genetically characterizing Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species in ixodid ticks and their animal hosts from the West Bank, Palestine. A total of 723 ixodid ticks belonging to three genera (Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis) were collected from dogs, sheep, goats and camels. In addition, 189 blood samples were collected from dogs, sheep, camels, horses and a goat from the West Bank, Palestine. All tick and blood samples were investigated for the presence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia targeting a 345 bp fragment of the 16S rRNA gene followed by sequence analysis. The infection rate of Anaplasma spp. in ticks was 6.5% (47/723). Anaplasma platys was identified in 28% (13/47) of them. Whereas, based on a partial sequence (851 bp) of msp4 gene, 38% (18/47) were identified as A. ovis. The species of the remaining 16 positive samples (16/47, 34%) could not be identified. Simultaneously, the infection rate of Ehrlichia spp. in the ticks was 0.6% (4/723). Three of which were E. canis and one was Ehrlichia spp. The infection rate of A. platys in dogs' blood samples was 10% (13/135), while it was 1.5% (2/135) for E. canis. The infection rate of Anaplasma in sheep blood samples was 40% (19/47), out of which 26% (5/19) were caused by A. ovis as revealed by msp4-PCR. Implementation of purely-spatial analysis by saTScan for all cases of Anaplasma revealed two statistically significant clusters in two districts; Tubas town and Majdal-Bani-Fadil village on the western hills of the Jordan Valley. Most cases of Anaplasma (83%) were from rural areas where life cycle components (vector, host and reservoir) abundantly interact. This study is the first in Palestine to reveal the presence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in ticks, dogs and sheep providing crucial platform for future epidemiological surveys and control strategies in the country and regio

    Molecular epidemiology of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in Jericho and its vicinity in Palestine from 1994 to 2015

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    Cutaneous leishmaniases (CL) are vector-borne parasitic diseases endemic inmany countries of the Middle East including Palestine. Between 1994 and 2015, 2160 clinically suspected human cases of CL from the Jericho District were examined. Stained skin tissue smears and aspirates were checked by microscopy and cultured for promastigotes, respectively. For leishmanial species identification, amplification products from a PCR-ITS1 followed by RFLP analysis using Hae III. Data were analyzed using Epi Info free-software. The overall infection rate was 41.4% (895/2160), 56.3% (504/895) of the cases were male, 43.7% (391/895) female, 60.5% (514/849) children under age 14, 41.3% (259/627) of the cases were caused by Leishmania major and 57.3% (359/627) by Leishmania tropica. The case numbers peaked in 1995, 2001, 2004, and 2012. Statistically-significant clusters of cases caused by L. major were restricted to the Jericho District; those caused by L. tropica were from the districts of Jericho, Bethlehem, Nablus and Tubas. CL is seasonal and trails the sand fly season. Distribution of cases was parabolicwith fewest in July. Themonthly total number of cases of CL and just those caused by L.major correlated significantly with temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, evaporation, wind speed and sunshine (P b 0.05, r2= 0.7–0.9 and P b 0.05, r2=0.5–0.8, respectively). Cases caused by L. tropica, significantly, had a single lesion compared to cases caused by L. major (P=0.0001), which, significantly, had multiple lesions (P=0.0001). This and previous studies showed that CL is present in all Palestinian districts. The surveillance of CL has increased public awareness and molecular biologicalmethodology for leishmanial species identification is an essential addition to classical diagnosis. The overall results are discussed, correlated to climatic and environmental changes and largescale human activities.This work received financial support from grants of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Scho 448/6-1-3, Scho 448/8-1, Scho 448/8-2 that extended from 1998 until 2015. It also received support fromEurNegVeg COST Action TD1303 (Cost 037/13). At one time during the study WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO), Division of Communicable Diseases (DCD) and the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR): the EMRO/DCD/TDR Small Grants Scheme for Operational Research in Tropical and Communicable Diseases financially supported this work. We thank Dr. L. F. Schnur for going over our manuscript

    Pfsec13 is an unusual chromatin-associated nucleoporin of plasmodium falciparum that is essential for parasite proliferation in human erythrocytes

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    In Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest form of human malaria, the nuclear periphery has drawn much attention due to its role as a subnuclear compartment involved in virulence gene expression. Recent data have implicated components of the nuclear envelope in regulating gene expression in several eukaryotes. Special attention has been given to nucleoporins that compose the nuclear pore complex (NPC). However, very little is known about components of the nuclear envelope in Plasmodium parasites. Here we characterize PfSec13, an unusual nucleoporin of P. falciparum, which shows unique structural similarities suggesting that it is a fusion between Sec13 and Nup145C of yeast. Using super resolution fluorescence microscopy (3D-SIM) and in vivo imaging, we show that the dynamiclocalization of PfSec13 during parasites' intra-erythrocytic development corresponds with that of the NPCs and that these dynamics are associated with microtubules rather than with F-actin. In addition, PfSec13 does not co-localize with the heterochormatin markers HP1 and H3K9me3, suggesting euchromatic location of the NPCs. The proteins associated with PfSec13 indicate that this unusual Nup is involved in several cellular processes. Indeed, ultrastructural and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that, in addition to the NPCs, PfSec13 is found in the nucleoplasm where it is associated with chromatin. Finally, we used peptide nucleic acids (PNA) to downregulate PfSec13 and show that it is essential for parasite proliferation in human erythrocytes. © 2013. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd

    Detection and Identification of Old World Leishmania by High Resolution Melt Analysis

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    Protozoal parasites of the genus Leishmania are transmitted by sand fly bites to humans and animals. Three major forms of disease are caused by these parasites: cutaneous leishmaniasis, responsible for disfiguring skin wounds; mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, causing non-healing ulceration around the mouth and nose; and the potentially fatal visceral leishmaniasis, involving internal organs such as the spleen and liver. More than 2 million new human infections are caused annually by leishmaniasis globally, it is endemic in more than 88 countries and prevalent also as an imported disease in non-endemic regions due to travel and tourism. Most species of Leishmania that infect humans are zoonotic and transmitted from animal reservoir hosts. As various leishmanial parasites cause disease with similar symptoms, but require different therapeutic regimens and have dissimilar prognoses, reliable, sensitive and rapid diagnostic assays are needed. This study focuses on the five main species that cause leishmaniasis in the Old World. It presents a new assay for rapid detection, species identification and quantification of leishmanial parasites in clinical samples, reservoir hosts and sand flies. This technique could be especially valuable in regions where several leishmanial species exist, in non-endemic regions where infected patients require a rapid diagnosis, and for epidemiological host and vector studies leading to prevention programs

    Canine leishmaniosis and its relationship to human visceral leishmaniasis in Eastern Uzbekistan

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Namangan Region in the Pap District, located in Eastern Uzbekistan is the main focus of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Uzbekistan. In total, 28 cases of human VL were registered during 2006-2008 in this region. A study on the epidemiology of VL in this area was carried out in 2007-2008 in the villages of Chodak, Oltinkan, Gulistan and Chorkesar located at elevations of 900-1200 above sea level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 162 dogs were tested for <it>Leishmania </it>infection. Blood was drawn for serology and PCR. When clinical signs of the disease were present, aspirates from lymph nodes and the spleen were taken. Forty-two dogs (25.9%) had clinical signs suggestive of VL and 51 (31.5%) were sero-positive. ITS-1 PCR was performed for 135 dogs using blood and tissue samples and 40 (29.6%) of them were PCR-positive. Leishmanial parasites were cultured from lymph node or spleen aspirates from 10 dogs.</p> <p>Eight <it>Leishmania </it>strains isolated from dogs were typed by multi-locus microsatellite typing (MLMT) and by multilocus enzyme electrophoretic analysis (MLEE), using a 15 enzyme system. These analyses revealed that the strains belong to the most common zymodeme of <it>L. infantum</it>, i.e., MON-1, and form a unique group when compared to MON-1 strains from other geographical regions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data obtained through this study confirm the existence of an active focus of VL in the Namangan region of Uzbekistan. The fact that <it>L. infantum </it>was the causative agent of canine infection with typical clinical signs, and also of human infection affecting only infants, suggests that a zoonotic form of VL similar in epidemiology to Mediterranean VL is present in Uzbekistan.</p

    Genetic, serological and biochemical characterization of Leishmania tropica from foci in northern Palestine and discovery of zymodeme MON-307

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    Background Many cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) have been recorded in the Jenin District based on their clinical appearance. Here, their parasites have been characterized in depth. Methods Leishmanial parasites isolated from 12 human cases of CL from the Jenin District were cultured as promastigotes, whose DNA was extracted. The ITS1 sequence and the 7SL RNA gene were analysed as was the kinetoplast minicircle DNA (kDNA) sequence. Excreted factor (EF) serotyping and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) were also applied. Results This extensive characterization identified the strains as Leishmania tropica of two very distinct sub-types that parallel the two sub-groups discerned by multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) done previously. A high degree of congruity was displayed among the results generated by the different analytical methods that had examined various cellular components and exposed intra-specific heterogeneity among the 12 strains. Three of the ten strains subjected to MLEE constituted a new zymodeme, zymodeme MON-307, and seven belonged to the known zymodeme MON-137. Ten of the 15 enzymes in the profile of zymodeme MON-307 displayed different electrophoretic mobilities compared with the enzyme profile of the zymodeme MON-137. The closest profile to that of zymodeme MON-307 was that of the zymodeme MON-76 known from Syria. Strains of the zymodeme MON-307 were EF sub-serotype A2 and those of the zymodeme MON-137 were either A9 or A9B4. The sub-serotype B4 component appears, so far, to be unique to some strains of L. tropica of zymodeme MON-137. Strains of the zymodeme MON-137 displayed a distinctive fragment of 417 bp that was absent in those of zymodeme MON-307 when their kDNA was digested with the endonuclease RsaI. kDNA-RFLP after digestion with the endonuclease MboI facilitated a further level of differentiation that partially coincided with the geographical distribution of the human cases from which the strains came. Conclusions The Palestinian strains that were assigned to different genetic groups differed in their MLEE profiles and their EF types. A new zymodeme, zymodeme MON-307 was discovered that seems to be unique to the northern part of the Palestinian West Bank. What seemed to be a straight forward classical situation of L. tropica causing anthroponotic CL in the Jenin District might be a more complex situation, owing to the presence of two separate sub-types of L. tropica that, possibly, indicates two separate transmission cycles involving two separate types of phlebotomine sand fly vector

    Development of a Simple Mechanical Screening Method for Predicting the Feedability of a Pharmaceutical FDM 3D Printing Filament

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    Purpose: The filament-based feeding mechanism employed by the majority of fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printers dictates that the materials must have very specific mechanical characteristics. Without a suitable mechanical profile, the filament can cause blockages in the printer. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to screen the mechanical properties of pharmaceutically-relevant, hot-melt extruded filaments to predetermine their suitability for FDM. Methods: A texture analyzer was used to simulate the forces a filament is subjected to inside the printer. The texture analyzer produced a force-distance curve referred to as the flexibility profile. Principal Component Analysis and Correlation Analysis statistical methods were then used to compare the flexibility profiles of commercial filaments to in-house made filaments. Results: Principal component analysis showed clearly separated clustering of filaments that suffer from mechanical defects versus filaments which are suitable for printing. Correlation scores likewise showed significantly greater values with feedable filaments than their mechanically deficient counterparts. Conclusion: The screening method developed in this study showed, with statistical significance and reproducibility, the ability to predetermine the feedability of extruded filaments into an FDM printer
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