The Effect of Perceived Risk on Online Shopping in Jordan

Consumers’ perceived risk has been considered as a fundamental concern of decision making process during online shopping. For the purpose of this study, perceived risk is defined as the potential for loss in pursuing a desired outcome from online shopping. The study aimed to examine the effect of perceived risks (financial risk, product risk, time risk, delivery risk, and information security risk) on online shopping behavior in Jordan. To investigate the hypotheses of the research, data was collected from online shopping users; a survey was conducted with a sample size of 395 online shoppers among consumers who previously purchased online and mainly from the main popular online stores in Jordan, methodology was done using SPSS 17 and Amos 18. The study revealed that financial risk, product risk, delivery risk, and information security risk negatively affect online shopping behavior. The results also showed that the other two dimensions, perceived time risk, and perceived social risk have no effect on online shopping. The study has an important managerial implication; it provides marketers with the importance of consumers risk perception in order to adopt adequate risk-reduction strategies in the internet shopping environment. Keywords: Perceived Risk, Risk Dimensions, Online Shopping, Electronic Commerce, Jordan.

Biological Networks: Modeling and Structural Analysis

Biological networks are receiving increased attention due to their importance in understanding life at the cellular level. There exist many different kinds of biological networks, and different models have been proposed for them. In this dissertation we focus on suitable network models for representing experimental data on protein interaction networks and protein complex networks (protein complexes are groups of proteins that associate to accomplish some function in the cell), and to design algorithms for exploring such networks. Our goal is to enable biologists to identify the general principles that govern the organization of protein-protein interaction networks and protein complex networks. For protein complex networks, we propose a hypergraph model which more accurately represents the data than earlier models. We define the concept of k-cores in hypergraphs, which are highly connected subhypergraphs, and design an algorithm for computing k -cores in hypergraphs. A major challenge in computational systems biology is to understand the modular structure of biological networks. We construct computational models for predicting functional modules through the use of graph clustering techniques. The application of earlier graph clustering techniques to proteomic networks does not yield good results due to the high error rates present, and the small-world and power-law properties of these networks. We discuss the various requirements that clusterings of biological networks are required to satisfy, design an algorithm for computing a clustering, and show that our clustering approach is robust and scalable. Moreover, we design a new algorithm to compute overlapping clustering rather than exclusive clustering. Our approach identifies a set of clusters and a set of bridge proteins that form the overlap among the clusters. Finally we assess the quality of our proposed clusterings using different reference sets

The Influence of Managerial Competencies on the Business Performance in the Small Business Funded by Jordan River Foundation

Rapid changes in the business environment are associated with the development of managerial competencies within organizations. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are critical in the economic and social development of most countries. The relationship between managerial competencies and organizational performance remains an important issue within organizational literature. However, there were limited studies conducted to assess the relationship between managerial competencies and organizational performance on small and medium enterprises. For this reason, this study aimed to determine whether there is a significant relationship between managerial competencies and the business performance in the small businesses funded by the Jordan River Foundation in Jordan. The empirical approach consists of data collection through the use of a self-administered questionnaire in a survey. A structured questionnaire was administered to 220 managers of small businesses funded by the Jordan River Foundation to establish the influence of their managerial competencies on the performance of their businesses. A total of 176 questionnaires were retrieved and analyzed by using the SPSS program for the statistical analysis, to reach the results of this study. The results revealed that managerial competencies are significantly correlated to business performance. There is a significant relationship between managerial competencies (Communication, Planning, and organizing) and efficiency. Three assortments of managerial competencies were evident to influence sales, namely, communication, planning and organizing, and customer focus. There is a significant relationship between managerial competencies (communication, team building, and customer focus) and customer satisfaction. The result will help the managers on how their competencies support and contribute to the firm's overall success as well as their improvement in the organization. Keywords: Managerial competencies, business performance, small businesses, Jordan River Foundation. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-20-06 Publication date:July 31st 202

Reduction of pavement thickness using a subgrade layer treated by different techniques

A range of stabilisers for poor quality subgrade soils have been developed to promote road constructions. Many of them are becoming more popular depending on their effectiveness. The purpose behind this research is to identify the relative efficacy of many physical and chemical stabilisation techniques for enhancing the properties of three types of local Iraqi subgrade soils. The comparison of the samples is based on the CBR tests. The AASHTO (1993) flexible pavement design was used to compute the pavement thickness requirements. The soil samples A, B and C have a natural CBR values of 3.8, 3.9 and 4, respectively, on which the physical stabilisers of Powdered rock (PR), grained recycled concrete (GRC), and recycled crumb rubber grains (CR) were employed, while Quicklime (QL) and activated fly ash (AFA) were both utilised as chemical stabilisers. The stabilisation with 15 % of AFA proved to be the most applicable method for soil types A and B for reducing the pavement thickness requirements by 51 % and 32 %, respectively, with a reasonable financial feasibility for both. The same feasibility is proven when stabilising soil type C with 15 % of GRC, which reduces the pavementthickness by 25.7 %

Observations of snowpack properties to evaluate ground-based microwave remote sensing

Active microwave radar has been shown to have great potential for estimating snow water equivalent (SWE) globally from space. To help evaluate optimal active microwave sensor configurations to observe SWE, we evaluated ground-based Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar (12–18 GHz, cross-polarisation) using very high resolution in-situ observations of snowpack layering, dielectric permittivity and density over a 10 m snow trench on Toolik Lake, Alaska. Results showed that the thicknesses of layers within the 10 m trench were highly variable over short distances (< 1 m), even where total snow depth changed very little. Layer boundaries observed using NIR photography identified all bands of high radar backscatter. Although additional observations of density and dielectric permittivity helped to explain the causes of backscatter, not all snowpack properties which cause backscatter were coincident with strong vertical changes in density or permittivity. Further observations of high surface roughness in layer boundaries explained some areas of weak backscatter, nonetheless it was shown that a suite of coincident observations, rather than a single technique in isolation, were required to adequately explain the variability of backscatter and the influence of snowpack properties upon it

A study of annexin-V labeled-lymphocytes apoptosis in pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in comparison to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Background: In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is the prototype of autoimmune diseases, the autoimmune process seems to be antigen driven. Apoptosis is responsible for eliminating cells from the immune system that are autoreactive, and defects in apoptosis may contribute to autoimmune diseases such as SLE and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Objective: This work is aimed to study the apoptotic peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with pediatric- onset SLE, to trace its correlations, if any, with the disease activity and clinical presentation, and to compare the apoptotic process to that in JRA, as an example of another rheumatologic disorder. Methods: The study was conducted on 32 patients with pediatric- onset SLE; their ages ranged between 5 and 25 years (mean + SD = 15.5 + 4.4). In addition to various laboratory investigations needed for diagnosis, assessment of different system involvement as well as disease activity, the percentage of early circulating apoptotic lymphocytes was measured by flowcytometry using Annexin –V. The results were compared to that of 20 age and sex matched clinically healthy children and adolescents as well as 10 JRA patients. Results: The percentage of circulating early apoptotic lymphocytes was significantly higher in SLE patients (mean ± SD = 7.02 ± 7.29 %) and JRA patients (mean ± SD=5.91± 6.00 %) as compared to healthy controls (mean ± SD = 1.89 ± 2.21 %; p=0.0003 and 0.023, respectively). The levels of apoptotic lymphocytes seemed higher in SLE patients than in JRA patients but the difference was statistically insignificant (p=0.58). There was no correlation between the percentage of circulating apoptotic lymphocytes and the disease activity markers (SLEDAI and ESR), different system involvement and the dose or duration of corticosteroids therapy. Conclusion: The general increase of circulating apoptotic lymphocytes seen in SLE patients may not be specific to SLE and could be seen with other autoimmune diseases. It seems that disturbance in the apoptotic process contributes more to the phenomenon of autoantigenicity rather than the prediction of the disease clinical activity or specific organ involvement.Keywords: SLE, apoptosis, annexin V, autoimmune diseases, JRA, PediatricEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2003; 1(2): 118-2

Toxic Effects of Low Concentration of Cyanotoxin (Microcystin¬-LR) on Mice and Study of Protective Efficacy of the Antioxidants Vitamins (C&E) and Capparis spinosa L. Root Extract

In this study the protective efficacy of vitamin C&amp;E and  ethanolic  extract roots of C.spinosa against toxic effects of algal toxin (Microcystin –LR) in mice  were done .Results showed significant decreasing p≤0.05 in values of hemoglobin (HB) and packed cell volume  (PCV) reach to 7.77 and 27.23 g/l in blood of mice treated  with  low  concentration of cyanotoxin (MC-LR = 0.15 ug/kg/day) compared with control group which reach to 12.21 and  40.22 respectively. Significant increasing were showed in some liver enzymes  ALT,AST and ALP when exposed to toxin only  which reach to 68.80 , 167.85 and 274 U/l respectively compared with control group , While groups treated with vitamins and extract showed non -significant differences with control group in values of blood parameters and enzymes. Histopathological  changes in liver  when group treated with toxin only represented by pyknotic hepatocyte , hypertrophy , binucleation  , infiltration of lymphocyte, karyolysis. While  kidney showed hypertrophy of cell glomerular arterioles , metaplasia of squamous epithelial tissue of bowman capsule wall in to cuboidal, hypertrophy of renal tubules cells , hyperplasia , also results showed the important role of vitamin C&amp;E and root extract of C. spinosa to keep the normal values of blood parameters and prevent histological changes as control group. Keywords: Algal toxin ( Microcystin-LR) ,  protective efficacy of  Vitamin C&amp;E  ,  C.spinos