Information systems for interactive learning: Design perspective

This paper aims to present and discuss educational issues and relevant research to universities and colleges in the Arabian Gulf Region. This include cultural, students’ learning preferences and the use of information and communication technology. It particularly focuses on interactive learning through the consideration of learning styles. It explores the sequential-global learning styles profile of undergraduate students as part of a continuous research in Information Systems design with a particular focus on the design of Interactive Learning Systems (ILSs). A study to examine the learning style profile of undergraduate students in a cohort of Management Information Systems at a UAE university has been conducted, and a discussion and recommendations on how these findings can be reflected on the design of ILSs are provided

Impact of Capital Structure on Stock Return in Oil & Gas Sector of Pakistan

The given study investigates the influence of capital structure on the stock return in the context of oil and gas segment of Pakistan. For this purpose the analysis is conducted on 10 oil and gas companies operating in Pakistan on the basis of market capitalization over the period of 2005 to 2014. In order to inspect the impact of debt to equity and financial leverage on stock outcomes, the Correlation and regression models are used to test the results. This study has determined that the variation in capital structure does affect the stock return of oil and gas companies in Pakistan. Furthermore, Debt to equity ratio and financial leverage positively affect stock return. The Financial leverage and debt to equity positively affected the stock return and are showing significance with greater than 2 of “t” values and less than 0.05 of “p” values. Keywords: Capital Structure, Stock Return, Debt to Equity, Financial Leverage.[1] [1] Army Public College of Management Sciences affiliated with UET, Taxila, Pakistan

Is standing by your moral opinion a Western phenomenon?: a cross-cultural study on moral consistency

Western theories on morality imply that being consistent in one´s moral beliefs, i.e. moral consistency, is a fundamental attribute of a moral person. In this study, it is argued that this kind of moral consistency can be counter-productive in some cultures, especially if demonstrated in social situation with ingroup members. When moral consistency entails confronting others with opposing opinions about moral issues, relationships with ingroup members may be seen at risk of being jeopardized in Eastern cultures that value interdependent and harmonious relations with others. In this case, moral consistency might be seen as a sign of arrogance, impurity and rebellion. In order to examine the hypothesis that there is cross-cultural variation in moral consistency, two empirical studies were conducted. A pilot study was conducted to identify specific issues that are considered to be equally moral and debatable between an Eastern and a Western culture. In the main study, participants´ attitude on moral and non-moral issues were assessed (in favor or against) and they were then instructed to imagine different social situations in which either outgroup or ingroup members would have opposing opinions. Hence, the experiment consisted of a 2 (culture: West vs. East) x 3 (issue: death penalty, torturing terrorism suspects to extract information, drinking orange juice at breakfast) x 3 (social situation: strangers, friends, family) mixed design with issue and social situation being within-subject factors. The results partially confirmed the hypothesis by showing that Westerners are overall more consistent in expressing their moral opinions than Indian participants. This has important implications for intercultural interactions, because this cultural difference in context-independent and context-dependent moral functioning can create serious misunderstandings in intercultural encounters

Connecting the Dots of Brand Experience and Happiness: The Mediating Role of Happiness Orientations

Purpose:Consumer research studies that have already been conducted on happiness have claimed that businesses should make their customers happier via experiences, but they have not addressed how specific brand experience elements may make customers happier. To address this gap, the main purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of brand experience on happiness via happiness orientations. Methodology:This study uses a survey as a research method. This research uses a cross-sectional time horizon design. The target audience for the study was the restaurant's customers. Data has been collected from 443 customers in different major cities of Pakistan. Findings:SEM is used for CFA and direct hypotheses testing, SEM is used. However, for mediation analysis, PROCESS micro has been used in SPSS. The result reveals that both sensory and emotional brand experience by exception has a positive effect on happiness orientations. Furthermore, happiness orientation mediates the relationship between brand experience dimensions and happiness. Conclusion:The present research found that each of the brand experience aspects had a distinct impact on happiness. It is advised that marketers concentrate on each dimension of brand experience instead of concentrating as a whole

Uni and Simplex Optimization for the Spectrophotometric Determination of Erythromycin ethylsuccinate Drug via Charge-Transfer Complex Formation

Charge transfer complex formation method has been applied for the spectrophotometric determination of erythromycin ethylsuccinate, in bulk sample and dosage form. The method was accurate, simple, rapid, inexpensive and sensitive depending on the formed charge- transfer complex between cited drug and, 2,3-Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p- benzoquinone (DDQ) as a chromogenic reagent. The formed complex shows absorbance maxima at 587 nm against reagent blank. The calibration graph is linear in the ranges of (10 - 110) µg.mL-1 with detection limit of 0.351µg.mL-1. The results show the absence of interferences from the excipients on the determination of the drug. Therefore the proposed method has been successfully applied for the determination of erythromycin ethylsuccinate in pharmaceutical preparations. Keywords: Simplex, Spectrophotometric, Erythromycin ethylsuccinate , Charge- transfer

Solitary langerhans cell histiocytosis of skull: Case report with one-year follow-up

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterised by increased production of Langerhans-type histiocytes. It is more common in the pediatric age group with a predilection for osseous involvement, though any organ may be involved. A 10-year male child was brought to the neurosurgical clinic with a slow growing painful tender mass on the head. Initial attempt to biopsy the lesion failed due to excessive bleeding. It was later imaged and removed with a frontal craniotomy. Histopathological evaluation along with immunohistochemistry revealed the true nature of the lesion. Follow-up revealed complete excision of the lesion and no recurrence at one-year after surgery

Machining of nickel based superalloys using coated PCBN tooling

Following a comprehensive literature review on the machinability of nickel based superalloys using conventional carbide, coated carbide and ceramics including uncoated/coated PCBN, the research details statistically designed experimental work to assess the tool life/wear performance and workpiece surface integrity of a range of uncoated and coated PCBN tools, when turning solution treated and aged Inconel 718. Typically, the use of carbide tooling is limited to < 60 m/min cutting speed, even with the use of high pressure cutting fluids (JetStream systems). Hardmetal coatings provide some productivity improvements although cutting speed restrictions still operate. Details of PCBN use at up to 600 m/min have been published but at the expense of tool life. Experimental testing of a number of uncoated PCBN grades involving both high and low CBN concentrations, indicated a preferred operating window of ~ 300 – 400 m/min. Advanced ceramic coatings provided no significant benefits. Primary tool wear mechanisms related to abrasion, workpiece adhesion/diffusion and fracture depending on the specific operating parameters employed. In depth workpiece integrity evaluation involving surface roughness, microstructure, microhardness and residual stress measurement suggested only limited damage when operating with PCBN tooling at preferred/optimised conditions