Capital Structure and Corporate Performance: Empirical Study on the Public Jordanian Shareholdings Firms Listed in Amman Stock Market

The study investigates the effect of capital structure on the performance of the public Jordanian firms listed in Amman stock market. The study used  multiple regression  model represented by ordinary least squares (OLS) as a technique to examine what is the effect of capital structure on the performance  by applying on 76 firms(53 industrial firms  and 23 service corporation) for the period(2001-2006).The results of the study concluded that capital structure associated negatively and statistically with firm performance on the study sample generally. In addition, the study found out that there is no differences for the impact of the financial leverage between high financial leverage firms and low financial leverage firms on their performance. Finally , the study also showed that the effect of financial leverage on the basis  of the growth that there is no difference between the financial leverage of high growth firms and low growth firms on the performance, which it was negatively and statistically. Key words: capital structure , performance ,profitability ,debt, financial leverage, firm and Jorda

Post-female-circumcision clitoral epidermal inclusion cyst: a case report and a review of literature

Cysts involving the female external genitalia are rare. These cysts are either congenital or acquired. Iatrogenic epidermoid cysts have been reported after female genital mutilation, which is common in some parts of Africa and the Middle East. We report a case of acquired epidermoid inclusion cyst of the clitoris following female circumcision in a 5-year-old girl. The cyst was surgically excised and histopathologic evaluation revealed an epidermal-type inclusion cyst. Keywords: complication, epidermal inclusion cyst, female circumcisio

Exploring Elementary Students' Invention Ingenuity in Science Labs

Invention is one of the strongest forces that lead to human civilization. Without a clear picture and scientific understanding of invention, it can hardly be any continuity of the past, present, or future (Schlesinger, 1973). This study carried out in Ma'an, a poor-environment area of Southern Governorate in Jordan, with 50 ninth-grade students: 25 males and 25 females aged 15 years old, has one aim which is to explore ninth-grade students' invention ingenuity in science labs. Fifty ninth-grade students from two schools of Ma'an directorates of education were chosen randomly to participate in solving five problems and invent products to solve those problems in science labs. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methodology was used to answer the study questions. Results of the study showed significant invention products according to the problems the students faced, teachers appreciated the Invention in Science Labs framework as an instructional model, and students valued this kind of learning experience. Recommendations were included in this study

Management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction associated with congenital upper urinary tract anomalies in children: Single-center experience

Purpose We report our experience in the management of ureteropelvic junction  obstruction in children with congenital upper urinary tract anomalies.Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed for all children with primary ureteropelvic junction obstruction associated with upper urinary tract anomalies between 1999 and 2011 at our hospital. Medical records were reviewed for patient age, sex, type of urinary tract anomalies, affected side, indication of surgery, and operative details. Clinical and radiological outcomes were assessed. Success was defined as both symptomatic relief and radiographic resolution of obstruction at final follow-up.Results There were 12 children (10 boys and two girls) with mean age of 5.3 years (range 1–13 years). Anomalies included ectopic pelvic kidney in six patients,  crossed fused ectopia in two, a horseshoe kidney in two, and duplex renal units in two. The left kidney was affected in seven and the right kidney in five children. All patients were managed by open dismembered pyeloplasty. No significant perioperative complications were encountered in the study group. The mean follow-up was 30 months (range 15–45 months). Overall success rate was 84%. Relief of obstruction was evident in 10 patients as documented by intravenous urography or diuretic renography. Secondary nephrectomy was necessitated in two patients; one had severely impaired ipsilateral renal function and the other had recurrent pyelonephritis without radiological improvement.Conclusion Despite the anomalous renal anatomy and the challenging surgical  exposure, dismembered pyeloplasty in children with upper urinary tract anomalies has a high success rate with excellent functional results.Keywords: crossed ectopic, horseshoe kidney, obstruction, pyeloplasty, urete

Optimal Deployment of Tethered Drones for Maximum Cellular Coverage in User Clusters

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assisted cellular communication is gaining significant interest recently. Although it offers several advantages over terrestrial communication, UAV communication suffers from two main shortcomings. The typical untethered UAV (uUAV) has a limited battery power supply and therefore limited flying time, and it needs an extra wireless backhaul link to connect users to the core network. In this paper, we propose the utilization of the tethered UAV (tUAV) to assist the cellular network, where the tether provides power supply and connects the tUAV to the core network through high capacity link. The tUAV however has a limited mobility due to the limited tether length. A stochastic geometry-based analysis is provided for the coverage probability of an UAV-assisted cellular network where the mobile users located within a circular hot-spot. For that setup, we analyze and compare two scenarios: (i) utilizing uUAV and (ii) utilizing tUAV, for offloading the terrestrial base station (TBS). We capture the aforementioned limitations of each of the uUAV and the tUAV in our analysis. A novel user association analysis is provided given the TBS and the UAV locations. Next, we study the optimal locations of the uUAV and the tUAV to maximize the coverage probability. Multiple useful insights are revealed. For instance, numerical results show that tUAVs outperform uUAVs when the tether length is above 75 m, given that the uUAV is available for 80% of the time due to its battery limitations.Comment: Accepted at the IEEE Transaction on Wireless Communication

The Integration of Microbial Inoculation and Organic Fertilization to Improve the Productivity of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) in New Land

This study was conducted to investigate the integration between the microbial inoculation and organic fertilization to improve the wheat productivity. Therefore, two wheat varieties (Misr-1 and Seds-12) were tested under three rates (8, 10 and 12 tons/fed) of supported compost and various microbial inoculation treatments during of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons. The main obtained results revealed that the Misr-1 wheat variety recorded significant increases in yield and its components except average of grains number/spike during the two seasons. Moreover, the interaction among three experiment factors showed that Misr-1 wheat variety, 10 ton/fed of supported compost and microbial inoculation by Trichoderma + Bacillus subtilis gave the greatest values for number of spike/m2, spike weight, average grain weight per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, total yield/fed and protein content. However, highest number of grains per spike were recorded with Seds-12 wheat variety and 10 tons/fed of supported compost + inoculated by Trichoderma + Bacillus subtilis

A Massive Tuberculosis Abscess at the Erector Spinae Muscles and Subcutaneous Tissues in a Young Man

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic granulomatous infection which can present in an atypical form. Isolated muscle involvement is very rare. We report a 25-year-old man who presented with a massive cystic swelling on the right side of his back, extending from the lower thoracic to the gluteal region. He had a history of contact with a friend who was suspected of having TB. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the origin of the cyst was from the erector spinae muscles. The result of a fluid aspirate showed acid fast bacilli. The swelling disappeared after treatment with anti-tuberculous medications. Muscular involvement in TB is very rare. In our patient, the reports of an ultrasound and MRI confirmed isolated muscle and subcutaneous involvement without bony lesions. This case is reported to increase physician awareness regarding soft tissue TB. Although it is rare, similar cases may be seen in the future

Erectogenic Effects of Clerodendron capitatum

Clerodendron capitatum (Willd) (family: verbenaceae) is locally named as Gung and used traditionally to treat erectile dysfunction. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the erectogenic properties of C. capitatum. The relaxation effect of this plant was tested on phenylephrine precontracted rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM). The effects of C. capitatum were also examined on isolated Guinea pig atria alone, in the presence of calcium chloride (Ca2+ channel blocker), atropine (cholinergic blocker), and glibenclamide (ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker). These effects were confirmed on isolated rabbit aortic strips. The extract, when tested colorimetrically for its inhibitory activities on phosphordiesterase-5 (PDE-5) in vitro towards p-nitrophenyl phenyl phosphate (PNPPP), was observed to induce significant dose-dependent inhibition of PDE-5, with an ID50 of 0.161 mg/ml (<.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that C. capitatum possesses a relaxant effect on CCSM, which is attributable to the inhibition of PDE-5, but not mediated by the release calcium, activation of adrenergic or cholinergic receptors, or the activation of potassium channels

The Integration of Microbial Inoculation and Organic Fertilization to Improve the Productivity of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in New Land

This study was conducted to investigate the integration between the microbial inoculation and organic fertilization to improve the wheat productivity. Therefore, two wheat varieties (Misr-1 and Seds-12) were tested under three rates (8, 10 and 12 tons/fed) of supported compost and various microbial inoculation treatments during of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons. The main obtained results revealed that the Misr-1 wheat variety recorded significant increases in yield and its components except average of grains number/spike during the two seasons. Moreover, the interaction among three experiment factors showed that Misr-1 wheat variety, 10 ton/fed of supported compost and microbial inoculation by Trichoderma + Bacillus subtilis gave the greatest values for number of spike/m2, spike weight, average grain weight per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, total yield/fed and protein content. However, highest number of grains per spike were recorded with Seds-12 wheat variety and 10 tons/fed of supported compost + inoculated by Trichoderma + Bacillus subtilis