Determinants of customer acceptance of e-banking in Iraq using technology acceptance model

Electronic banking (e-banking) is a form of banking in which funds are transferred through an exchange of electronic signals along to the traditional banking process as the exchange of cash, checks, or other types of paper documents. Moreover, the general tendencies of the Iraqi government in line with other countries to adopt e-banking and provide e-services to customers. However, the determinants of e-banking services need to investigate to determine the variables affecting the rate of such adoption. Thus, the main aim of this study is to identify the determinants of e-banking services in Iraq. Hence, this study gives an investigation using the technology acceptance model (TAM) by selecting a sample for many Iraqi banks' customers and staff to determine the determinants of user acceptance of e-banking. A preliminary study was conducted to empirically determine the user acceptance determinants of e-banking. For data collection, a quantitative method was used represented by the questionnaire. The selected sample for the investigation is 200 (customers and staff). Several methods have used for data analysis such as hierarchical regression, one-way ANOVA, descriptive statistics, t-test as well as structural equation modeling (SEM). The obtained outcomes show there are several determinants of e-banking services in Iraq that have determined in this study. Moreover, this study confirms the overcoming of those determinants will give a highly positive impact on e-banking services

An econometric analysis of the link between biodiesel demand and Malaysian palm oil market

The objective of this study is to describe the important factors affecting Malaysian palm oil industry especially biodiesel demand. To that end a market model representing palm oil production, import, world excess demand, domestic consumption, export demand, rest of the world excess supply and palm oil prices is formulated.A system of equations of eight structural equations and four identities is estimated by two stage least squares method using annual data for the period 1976-2008.The domestic price equation is formed to investigate the link between biodiesel demand and the Malaysian palm oil market. The domestic price is significantly affected by Malaysian ending stock, world palm oil price, biodiesel demand and lagged domestic price. The elasticity of Malaysian palm oil domestic price with respect to biodiesel demand is then obtained. Results suggest that biodiesel demand has a positive impact on the Malaysian palm oil domestic price. Thus, significant growth in biodiesel demand is important in explaining Malaysian palm oil price determination

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM RELAPSE OF MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder primarily involving bone marrow. Extramedullary involvement is less common, with central nervous system (CNS) myelomatosis being a rare entity and such presentation carries extremely dismal prognosis. We present case of a 40 years old male with MM who was initially treated with 6 cycles of Cyclophosphamide, Thalidomide and Dexamethasone resulting in complete response. 2 years later he presented with CNS myelomatosis and scrotal involvement and was initially treated with Bortezomib and dexamethasone, cranial irradiation and intrathecal Methorexate, Cytarabine, Hydrocortisone (TRIO IT), along with radical orchiectomy and testicular radiation during the course of treatment. However, after initial response his disease showed clinical and radiological progression after 4 months of therapy. He was switched to high dose Methotrexate (HD-MTX) with TRIOITand later Lenalidamide and dexamethasone (Len/dex) was added to the above regimen. He continued to show good clinical response but his cytology remained persistently positive, therefore, HD-MTX was discontinued in the later course of treatment. Subsequently he was started on best supportive care only, when his neurological status deteriorated further. He survived almost 9 months after a diagnosis of CNS myelomatosis. Patients with multiple myeloma, presenting with neurological symptoms should always be investigated for the possibility of CNS MM. CNS relapse is a fatal disease with poor prognosis. Recommended treatment must include a systemic anti-MM regimen that crosses the BBB (ideally Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) IMiDs-dexamethasone based therapy), CNS irradiation and intrathecal chemotherapy.Key words: Multiple myeloma, central nervous system myelomatosis, therap

Application of chitosan padded rice and wheat husk for the removal of reactive dye from aqueous solution

Industrial waste especially textile effluents contain many harmful ingredients, which cause environmental problems. In the present study, the removal of reactive red 195 dye was carried out using chitosan padded wheat husk (CWH) and rice husk (CRH) adsorbents. Chitosan was prepared in the laboratory from chitin which was obtained from crab shells by adopting reported method. The removal of dye was carried out by batch adsorption method under the optimized conditions of amount of adsorbent, stay time, temperature and dye concentration. Spectrophotometric technique was adopted for the measurement of concentration of dye before and after adsorption. Adsorption data was fitted in Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherm equations. The values of the corresponding constants were evaluated from the slope and intercept of their respective plots. Thermodynamic parameters such as free energy (ΔGo), enthalpy (ΔHo), and entropy (ΔSo) of the system were also calculated by using distribution coefficient KD. From the percent removal data, it was concluded that chitosan-rice husk (CRH) and chitosan- wheat husk (CWH) systems showed about 83 and 79% removal tendency respectively. Chitosan itself act as a good adsorbent and its derivative with rice and wheat husk (mainly cellulose) show high removal tendency and may be used as low cost biosorbents for the removal of pollutants from the industrial effluent.Keywords: Adsorption, reactive red 195 dye, chitosan, rice husk, wheat hus

A nonsense (c.3978G>A) abnormal spindle-like, microcephaly associated (ASPM) gene mutation is a major cause of primary microcephaly in Pashtoon ethnic group of Pakistan

Primary microcephaly (MCPH) is an autosomal-recessive congenital disorder characterized by smallerthan- normal brain size and mental retardation. MCPH is genetically heterogeneous with six known loci: MCPH1 to MCPH7. The abnormal spindle-like, microcephaly associated (ASPM) gene at MCPH5 locus, which accounts for 37 to 54% of MCPH, appears to be the most common cause of microcephaly. More than 50% of the MCPH families genetically analyzed in Pakistan were mapped to MCPH5 locus including both families in this study. On mutation screening of ASPM gene by PCR amplification and direct DNA sequencing, a common c.3978G>A transition was identified in exon 17 of ASPM gene to be responsible for diseased phenotype in both families. This change results to the substitution of an amino acid residue at position 1326 from tryptophan to a stop codon (p.Trp1326Stop). The same mutation was also identified in several other families of Pakistani origin. Since the disease is both clinically and genetically heterogeneous, the diagnosis of MCPH1–7 is based on clinical findings; brain imaging that shows reduced brain volume with grossly normal architecture, family history consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance and molecular genetic testing when available. The mapping of large number of families to MCPH5 locus and identification of a common mutation, that is, c. 3978A>G of ASPM gene will enable us to formulate future strategies to control and prevent the disease by genetic counseling, prenatal/postnatal diagnosis and carrier testing.Key words: Primary microcephaly (MCPH), abnormal spindle-like, microcephaly associated (ASPM) mutations, microcephaly, Pakistani familie

Supply and Demand Model for the Malaysian Cocoa Market

This paper investigates a system of supply, demand, and price equations for Malaysian cocoa using annual data over the period 1975-2008. Theoretically, in supply and demand models, the price variable is treated as endogenous. However, Hausman specification test result indicates that there is no simultaneity problem in the model. Thus, we estimate the system of equations utilizing the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) estimation technique which might be considered a more efficient estimator for supply and demand model of the Malaysian cocoa. The results suggest that the Malaysian cocoa production is mainly affected by the previous year production, price of cocoa beans at lag two as well as the harvested area. In the export demand equation, the real effective exchange rates is statistically significant determinant while the index of industrial production of advanced economies and the world price of cocoa are found to be insignificant. The results also suggest that both Malaysian industrial production index and domestic price of cocoa beans are key determinants of domestic demand for cocoa beans in Malaysia. Finally, the domestic price of cocoa beans is highly sensitive to its domestic consumption, lagged domestic price, and its world price.Supply and Demand; Malaysian Cocoa; SUR technique

Perioperative registries in resource-limited settings: The way forward for Pakistan

Capable of improving surgical quality, perioperative registries can allow performance benchmarking, reliable reporting and the development of risk-prediction models. Well established in high-income countries, perioperative registries remain limited in lower- and middle-income countries due to several challenges. First, ensuring comprehensive data entry forums to power the registries is difficult because of limited electronic medical records requiring sustained efforts to develop and integrate these into practice. Second, lack of adequate expertise and resources to develop and maintain registry software necessitates the involvement of software developers and information technology personnel. Third, case ascertainment and item completion are challenging secondary to poor-quality medical records and high loss-to-follow-up rates, requiring telemedicine initiatives as an adjunct to existing care for the assessment of post-discharge outcomes. Lastly, standardised coding of clinical terminology is warranted for ensuring interoperability of the registries for which adaptation of the existing disease and procedural codes can be a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to the development of new codes

Impact of Stress on Software Engineers Knowledge Sharing and Creativity (A Pakistani Perspective)

Software development involves technology as well as human efforts. Software engineering is supportive to create a quality of product by adopting the process of sharing knowledge. A lot of research was conducted on the technical side but human side of software development disregarded. Knowledge and creativity considered major factors for improving the software quality. Currently professionals working in the field of software engineering are under impressive pressure which cause stress for the Software engineers. It is highly desirable to conduct an empirical study on impact of stress on software engineers knowledge sharing & creativity. The major motivation for this study is to investigate the impact of job stress factors which can affect the software engineering knowledge sharing capabilities and creativity. The research is based on industrial assessment. For conducting this study we developed a questionnaire based on Stress Factors. Statistical analyses are performed through SPSS tool. On the basis of the results from the survey, we proposed some strategies for those factors that have high impact on software engineers and try to mitigate their affect. These results highlight stress factors and their impact on software engineers knowledge sharing and creativity, working in Pakistani software industry

Impact of Stress on Software Engineers Knowledge Sharing and Creativity (A Pakistani Perspective)

Software development involves technology as well as human efforts. Software engineering is supportive to create a quality of product by adopting the process of sharing knowledge. A lot of research was conducted on the technical side but human side of software development disregarded. Knowledge and creativity considered major factors for improving the software quality. Currently professionals working in the field of software engineering are under impressive pressure which cause stress for the Software engineers. It is highly desirable to conduct an empirical study on impact of stress on software engineers knowledge sharing & creativity. The major motivation for this study is to investigate the impact of job stress factors which can affect the software engineering knowledge sharing capabilities and creativity. The research is based on industrial assessment. For conducting this study we developed a questionnaire based on Stress Factors. Statistical analyses are performed through SPSS tool. On the basis of the results from the survey, we proposed some strategies for those factors that have high impact on software engineers and try to mitigate their affect. These results highlight stress factors and their impact on software engineers knowledge sharing and creativity, working in Pakistani software industry