Web-based English Competency Assessment and Placement System For Faculty Communication and Modern Languages.

English is a dominant world language with second largest speaking population after mother tongue. Choosing study English as a second language is a wise choice at these globally competitive times. English brings people from various nationalities towards international communication. It's key to speak to the world. The goal of this research project is to "design a web-based English competency evaluation and regulation for Faculty of Communication and Modern Languages (or FKBM, its Malay short form)"- that can support new students to overcome their English language proficiency and help to FKBM to estimate students level of English competency and allocate relevant course for registration

The Mediating Role Of Trust In The Adoption Of E-Goverment Services By Community In The University Of Tripoli

Governments are striving to serve citizens in better way. The introduction of electronic government (e-Government) has provided citizens with several advantages. However, citizens are not using the e-Government services. Studies in this field are dominated by developed countries. Few studies conducted in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of e-Government services in Libya. Building on the literature, the study has deployed the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) along with security and trust. Three main constructs were incorporated including individual factors with sub-constructs including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and IT knowledge. The second construct is technological factors and it includes facilitating condition, security, and privacy. Third construct is trust and it includes trust in government and trust in Internet. Trust is proposed as a mediator. The study is quantitative in nature. A questionnaire is used as an instrument of data collection. Using stratified sampling technique, the data was collected from 441 students, academic staff, and non-academic staff at University of Tripoli. The findings showed that individual factors and technological factors have significant influence on behavioral intention to adopt e-Government services. Factors that influence the adoption of e-Government services in Libya are performance expectancy, social influence, IT knowledge, trust in Internet, facilitating condition, privacy, and security. Trust plays a partial mediating role between technological factors and behavioral intention. Increasing the participation in e-Government services will have significant effect on public expenditure and the citizens’ satisfaction. In addition, decision makers can utilize the findings of this study to increase the acceptance and use of e-Government services in Libya. More qualitative studies with different variables and respondents are needed to establish the factors that affect the acceptance and use of e-Government services in Libya

The Qur\u27an as the Only Constitutive Source of Islamic Law

In The Problem of Dealing with the Prophet’s Sunnah (originally in Arabic), Al-\u27Alwani proposes a comprehensive and coherent concept of Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah based on the linguistic, Qur\u27anic and Prophetic usages of the term Sunnah, and argues that a prophet’s saying, action or approval is authentic if evidently rooted in the Qur\u27an, not only narrated in a correct, honest and accurate way. Al-\u27Alwani stresses the Prophet’s humanness and contends that the Qur\u27an proves his fallibility in his ijtihad and corrects it if it was not in full conformity with the Qur\u27an. Hence, the Qur\u27an’s authority over the Sunnah. Al-\u27Alwani links the authentic legislative Sunnah to the Qur\u27an and denies that one source can abrogate the other because there can be no contradiction between them. He argues that the authentic legislative Sunnah constitutes no laws; rather, it only illustrates the Prophet’s interpretation and implementation of the laws already constituted in the Qur\u27an. Hence, Al-\u27Alwani’s argument that the Qur\u27an is the only constitutive source of Islamic law. He asserts that the Qur\u27an contains all laws explicitly or implicitly, and the Sunnah is its application. Al-\u27Alwani sends a clear message in this book, that is, the unity of Muslim Ummah can be reestablished only through the recognition of the Qur\u27an’s role in life, and the Prophet’s role in implementing it

Structure and function of the retinal pigment epithelium, photoreceptors and cornea in the eye of Sardinella aurita (Clupeidae, Teleostei)

AbstractThe structure of the pigment epithelium, photoreceptors and the cornea in the eye of a teleost, Sardinella aurita was examined by light and electron microscopy. The retinal pigment epithelium forms a single layer of cells joined laterally by cell junctions. Centrally in the retina these cells are columnar, while more peripherally they become cuboidal in shape. The basal (scleral) border of the pigment epithelial cells is not infolded but is relatively smooth. Phagosomes containing lysosome-like bodies are also common features of the retinal pigment epithelium. Numerous melanosomes (pigment granules) are abundant throughout the epithelial cells. These melanosomes probably absorb light which has passed through the photoreceptor layer. Four photoreceptor cells were identified; rods, long single cones, short single cones and double cones. The presence of these types suggests a diversity of photoreceptor function. Square mosaic pattern of cones and well-developed choroid gland are also main features of the eye. The inner segment of rods and cones were rich in organelles indicating much synthetic activity. Calycal processes projecting from cone outer segments are also observed. The cornea includes an epithelium with a complex pattern of surface microplicae, a basement membrane, dermal stroma, an iridescent layer, scleral stroma, Descemet’s membrane and endothelium. The autochthonous layer which is seen in some teleosts has not been observed in the cornea of this species. These and other observations were discussed in relation to the photic environment and habits of this fish

The problem of management accountability in the public sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) : case study of two public sector organisations

This study originates from the search of the author, who himself is a main Agent, as per the Principal-Agent Model developed in the study, for proper Management Accountability in his public sector organization. The problem of low level of Management Accountability in the public sector of the UAE has been pervasive in the sector and raised many questions, the cardinal ones being: why has the situation arisen and what might be done to improve it? These are the main questions addressed in this study. The major objective of the study, therefore, is to identify and evaluate the factors that account for the observed low level of Management Accountability in the public sector of the UAE with the aim of finding an appropriate solution to improve the situation. To achieve this objective, both secondary and primary data/information were used extensively and intensively with a much heavier reliance on primary data because of the highly qualitative nature of the topic and the lack of appropriate secondary data. Apart from the general questionnaire survey of the public sector, two representative public sector organizations - Etisalat and Ministry of Health - were selected for indepth study of the subject-matter. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used; the latter was obtained- largely through questionnaire survey and personal interviews spread over a period of two years using purposively selected samples (purposive sampling method) from the general public and the case study organizations. Various testing techniques, including Z-test, ANOVA, Correlation and Regression analysis, were employed to test for the validity and reliability of findings of the research. We are confident of the validity and reliability of our results but we do also recognize the limitations of the study, for example, the coverage of the study in terms of the number of organizations researched, for the purpose of generalization. The main findings of the study are summarized as follows: -- The general public questionnaire survey results confirm that the level of Management Accountability in the public sector of the UAE is lower than the average of similar sectors, for example, in the UK. -- The general performance of the public sector in terms of achieving objectives is below average. -- The performance of the case-study, Etisalat, in terms of posted financial statements is encouraging but this is against the background of very weak competition because of the legislative monopolist status the corporation enjoys in the market. However, the level of Management Accountability in the corporation is less than average. -- Both the general performance in terms of achieving objectives and the level of Management Accountability in the Ministry of Health are below average. -- The causal factors are grouped into three categories: Social-cultural, Organisational and Personal factors. Each group has sub-factors that have differential effects on the confirmed low level of Management Accountability in the sector. The main recommendation made was that the Principal-Agent Model developed in the study should be adopted to streamline and formalize the five relationships involved in the model. The pillars of the recommendation are the legalisation, formalisation and control of the relationships in the model to achieve a higher level of Management Accountability in the sector. The implementation of our recommendation would require a change in attitude, perception and other social-cultural as well as organizational factors. It would require some will-power and commitment to introduce the changes that might lead to the improvements that are projected in the study. Recent developments in the country, such as the call of the Minister for Information and Culture, for constructive criticism of the activities and performance of government organizations indicates a burgeoning recognition of the proble

Promoting or resisting change?: The United States and the Egyptian uprising, 2011–2012

© 2018 selection and editorial matter, Geoffrey F. Gresh and Tugrul Keskin; individual chapters, the contributors. After President Barack Obama’s electoral victory in 2008, an advisor of the outgoing president, Christian Brose, expressed the expectation that President Obama’s foreign policy would resemble that of President George W. Bush’s second administration and that the variance between the two foreign policies would be thinner than the variance between the foreign policies of Bush’s first and second administrations (Brose, 2009, p. 53). But President Obama was keen to distinguish himself, at least on the surface, from his unpopular predecessor, especially in foreign policy. As he arrived in office, Obama’s apparent embrace of “realism” was therefore a clear indication that his foreign policy was the opposite of Bush’s, which was characterized as “idealist” (to use International Relations Theory terms), particularly as far as the global spread of democracy was concerned (Cohen, 2016)

EXPLORING CRITICAL READING EXPERIENCE IN ENGLISH OF EMIRATI 11th GRADE STUDENTS

This study aimed at exploring the critical reading experiences of Emirati 11th-grade students in public high schools. A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was used to answer the five research questions posed in this study. In this study, data were collected in two consecutive phases and used different instruments including a questionnaire, classroom observation, and a semi-structured interview. In the first phase of the study, a total number of 11th-grade students (n=645) participated by filling a questionnaire about their critical reading experiences. The second phase of the study featured an in-depth investigation of the teachers’ and students’ views about critical reading practices by means of interviews (n=10) and classroom observations. The results of this study revealed that there is a consistency among students’ self-reporting, students’ views, and classroom observations. The two phases of the study provided evidence that the students use basic critical reading skills and they do not use higher-order critical reading skills. The results also showed that English teachers used different reading strategies and activities, the majority of these practices engaged lower-order thinking skills that only required knowledge recognition and identification of factual details. Both teachers and students’ views corroborated that the English curriculum used is not flexible and lacks a fundamental English literature component and the curriculum assessment is based on teaching to the test. Finally, several challenges that hinder the use of critical reading were expressed by teachers and students alike. These included lack of time, lack of resources, low language competency, low motivation level, lack of curriculum choices, and the teachers were constrained by the curriculum. The study recommends a general reconceptualization of English curriculum contents, curriculum assessment, and teaching strategies with regard to critical reading

The Effect of Oil Exposure on the Tissues and Health Status of Gulf of Mexico Fishes

The Macondo 252 oil spill occurred on April 20, 2010 and persisted for 86 days. Oil spill exposed Gulf fish demonstrated reduced lymphocyte counts and increased ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) values. Alligator gar were exposed to 0, 0.5 and 4.0 g oil/L of tank water for 48 hours, then moved to oilree water for a 7 day recovery period. After forty-eight hours exposure, lymphocyte and hematopoietic precursor populations were significantly decreased in dose responsive by exposure to oil. Following a 7 day recovery period, lymphocyte and precursor cell numbers increased. After 48 hours exposure, tissue changes included hepatocellular vacuolization and necrosis, necrotizing pancreatitis, splenic congestion and epicarditis. This demonstrates that oil exposure negatively impacts immune cells and tissues in fish and increases their disease susceptibility. Prolonged oil exposure has the potential to dramatically impact the health status of fish populations