A Strong and Efficient Certificateless Digital Signature Scheme

This paper extends the certificateless public key infrastructure model that was proposed by Hassouna et al by proposing new digital signature scheme to provide true non-repudiation, the proposed signature scheme is short and efficient, it is also has strength point that the KGC has no contribution in signature generation/verification process, therefore any compromise of the KGC does not affect the non-repudiation service of the system. Furthermore, even the KGC cannot do signature forgery by (temporary) replacing the user’s public key

Synthesis and Characterization of Gelatin-G-Poly (Acryloyl Amide) Proflavine and Controlled Release Study

Gelatin-grafted N- proflavine acryl amide was synthesized through two steps; firstly the Gelatin was grafted with acrylic acid free radically using Ammonium per-sulfate at 60?, Then it was modified to its corresponding acyl chloride derivation, second step included the substitution with amino group of proflavine, in this research Gelatin was used as a natural nontoxic,   water soluble polymer as a drug carrier. The prepared pro drug polymer was characterized by FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopies, Controlled drug release was studied in different pH values at 37?. Many advantages were obtained comparing with other known methods. Keywords: Gelatin, Acrylic acid, Proflavine and Gelatin,.and pro-drug polyme

Financial Performance Evaluation of Domestic Commercial Banks: An Empirical Study in Malaysia

This study aims to evaluate the financial performances of commercial banks over the period from 2011 to 2015 in Malaysia. The sample comprises five domestic commercial banks; CIMB, Public Bank, Maybank, AmBank, and RHB Bank all listed in the Malaysian Stock Market (Bursa Malaysia). The data for this study taken from the annual reports of the banks and Bursa Malaysia official website. This data is analyzed by multiple regression and DEA efficiency scores to check the relationship between bank performance and bank size, operational efficiency and asset management. The asset management, operational efficiency and bank size are taken as independent variables along return on asset (ROA) as dependent variable. The findings of this study reveals there is significant relationship between ROA and asset management. The operational efficiency shows less significant relationship with bank performance. According to the comparison of all predictors, bank size has more strong relationship with bank performance because domestic banks are inefficient to control their costs than efficiently operating by optimized economies of scale. Key Word: Banks, ROA, Financial Performance, Asset Utilization, Operational Efficienc

A CROSS-SECTIONAL RESEARCH TO DETERMINE COMMON CAUSES OF EMPLOYING COMPLEMENTARY AND TRADITIONAL DRUGS TO TREAT DIABETES MELLITUS: AWARENESS, ATTITUDE AND STRATEGIES

Objective: The objective of the research was to determine the commonness and causes for the usage of conventional and complementary drugs in patients of diabetes mellitus along with consultant’s attitude regarding complication coping strategies as positive as well as negative. Method: This cross-sectional research was carried out at Services Hospital, Lahore from July 2017 to May 2018 on diabetic mellitus patients having age more than eighteen years. Researcher utilized semi-structured questionnaire with the objective of data collection. Result: Total numbers of the respondent was three-hundred and eighty-six (ninety-nine percent). Among them the number of patients used traditional and complementary medicine concerning to their diabetes was one-hundred and seventy-nine (46.6%). An important association was identified between such usage and diabetes kind, level of education, age, monthly earning, span as well as the complexity of disease, glycated hemoglobin level and treatment methodology. One-hundred and thirty-five (75.41%) patients who utilized traditional and complementary medicine did not talk about the issue with their doctor. Conclusion: While examining the diabetic mellitus patients, the consultant should investigate from their patients regarding the usage of conventional and complementary medicine and also thoroughly guide them on the subject. Keywords: Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM), Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Glycated Hemoglobin (HBA1c), Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

The Mediating Role of Institutional Trust on Corporate Image and Customer Trust in Iraqi Banking Sector

In today’s highly volatile environment, banks strive to leverage the perceptions of their multiple customers more than ever before to build a sustainable competitive advantage. Accordingly, corporate image and customer trust concepts are of vital importance for both academicians and practitioners, concerning their potential impact on internal and external stakeholders. Recognizing the intensified significance of a multi-stakeholder perspective, the current study attempts to contribute to the literature by examining the mediating role of institutional trust on the relationship between corporate image and customer trust. The study applies the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method to examine this relationship. The data are collected from a total of 372 Iraqi banking customers using a random sampling technique. The finding for path-1 shows that there exists a positive and significant association between corporate image, institutional trust, and trust in online banking services. Similarly, the result of path-2 also reveals a positive and significant association between institutional trust and trust in online banking services. Finally, bias-corrected bootstrapping confirms that institutional trust plays a mediating role between corporate image and trust in online banking services in Iraq. This study has important theoretical and practical implications. It not only fills some of the gaps in the literature about trust in online banking services, particularly for Iraq but it also reinforces to policy-makers that institutional trust is an important factor in promoting customers’ trust in financial services

Role of Antiviral Drugs in Management of Mild and Moderate Coronavirus Disease-19: A Systematic Review

This study was conducted to determine the objective role of antiviral drugs such as arbidol, lopinavir/ritonavir, and others in improving clinical symptoms, decreasing duration of hospitalization, and decreasing duration of viral shedding in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 infection. A systematic literature search was carried out on Google Scholar and PubMed databases, using the keywords “COVID-19”, “Antiviral”, “Treatment”, and “Symptomatic” in various combinations. Observational studies, cohort and case control studies, and clinical trials published in English with full-text available were included in the study. Data extraction was carried out from selected studies, and all statistical analysis for the study was carried out using Microsoft Excel. The key outcomes studied were time to negative PCR, duration of clinical stay, time to clinical improvement, and occurrence of adverse events. Seven studies were selected for final review after rigorous selection process. Data of total 4734 participants was analyzed, the majority of which were females (n=2810, 59.3%). The majority of participants had mild disease (n=4197, 88.65%). Average time for negative RT-PCR in the included treatment groups was 13.5 days, whereas the average duration of hospitalization was 14.9 days for the treatment groups. Adverse reactions such as ECG changes, gastrointestinal symptoms, secondary bacterial infections, and hepatic and renal dysfunction were scarcely reported in the included studies. There is no clear benefit in terms of duration of hospitalization and time to negative PCR with the use of various antiviral regimens in mild disease; however, these drugs did play a role in limiting disease progression in the participant population. Pending further evidence, the use of these drugs for the management of COVID-19 is not recommend in patients with mild disease

The effect of video presentation on hotel booking intentions: a conceptual model

The tourism industry has been growing tremendously throughout the world especially during the last two decades. The number of international tourists is forecasted to reach 1.4 billion travelers in 2020. In 2016 only, the hotels worldwide made a revenue of 550 billion U.S. dollars. These figures show the importance of the tourism industry in the general and hotel sector in particular and their significant contribution to the world economy. Consequently, hoteliers are forced to enhance their website design by exploring the factors that affect the booking intention and through understanding the behavior, the needs and the expectations of the travelers since they are in desperate need of solutions to overcome the current challenges and potential risks. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework to explore the factors that influence the online hotel booking intention and examine the relationship between video presentation and online booking intention utilizing Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework

Evaluating the Performance of Different Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Forecasting: Rainfall and Runoff Prospective

The forecasting plays key role for the water resources planning. Most suitable technique is Artificial intelligence techniques (AITs) for different parameters of weather forecasting and generated runoff. The study compared AITs (RBF-SVM and M5 model tree) to understand the rainfall runoff process in Jhelum River Basin, Pakistan. The rainfall and runoff of Jhelum river used from 1981 to 2012. The Different rainfall and runoff dataset combinations were used to train and test AITs. The data record for the period 1981–2001 used for training and then testing. After training and testing, modeled runoff and observed data was evaluated using R2, NRMSE, COE and MSE. During the training, the dataset C2 and C3 were found to be 0.71 for both datasets using M5 model. Similar results were found for dataset of C3 using RBF-SVM. Over all, C3 and C7 were performed best among all the dataset. The M5 model tree was performed better than other applied techniques. GEP has also exhibited good results to understand rainfall runoff process. The RBF-SVM performed less accurate as compare to other applied techniques. Flow duration curve (FDCs) were used to compare the modeled and observed dataset of Jhelum River basin. For High flow and medium high flows, GEP exhibited well. M5 model tree displayed the better results for medium low and low percentile flows. RBF-SVM exhibited better for low percentile flows. GEP were found the accurate and highly efficient DDM among the AITs applied techniques. This study will help understand the complex rainfall runoff process, which is stochastic process. Weather forecasting play key role in water resources management and planning

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Effects of a high-dose 24-h infusion of tranexamic acid on death and thromboembolic events in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (HALT-IT): an international randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Tranexamic acid reduces surgical bleeding and reduces death due to bleeding in patients with trauma. Meta-analyses of small trials show that tranexamic acid might decrease deaths from gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to assess the effects of tranexamic acid in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: We did an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 164 hospitals in 15 countries. Patients were enrolled if the responsible clinician was uncertain whether to use tranexamic acid, were aged above the minimum age considered an adult in their country (either aged 16 years and older or aged 18 years and older), and had significant (defined as at risk of bleeding to death) upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients were randomly assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Patients received either a loading dose of 1 g tranexamic acid, which was added to 100 mL infusion bag of 0·9% sodium chloride and infused by slow intravenous injection over 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 3 g tranexamic acid added to 1 L of any isotonic intravenous solution and infused at 125 mg/h for 24 h, or placebo (sodium chloride 0·9%). Patients, caregivers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. The primary outcome was death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation; analysis excluded patients who received neither dose of the allocated treatment and those for whom outcome data on death were unavailable. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN11225767, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01658124. Findings: Between July 4, 2013, and June 21, 2019, we randomly allocated 12 009 patients to receive tranexamic acid (5994, 49·9%) or matching placebo (6015, 50·1%), of whom 11 952 (99·5%) received the first dose of the allocated treatment. Death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation occurred in 222 (4%) of 5956 patients in the tranexamic acid group and in 226 (4%) of 5981 patients in the placebo group (risk ratio [RR] 0·99, 95% CI 0·82–1·18). Arterial thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction or stroke) were similar in the tranexamic acid group and placebo group (42 [0·7%] of 5952 vs 46 [0·8%] of 5977; 0·92; 0·60 to 1·39). Venous thromboembolic events (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) were higher in tranexamic acid group than in the placebo group (48 [0·8%] of 5952 vs 26 [0·4%] of 5977; RR 1·85; 95% CI 1·15 to 2·98). Interpretation: We found that tranexamic acid did not reduce death from gastrointestinal bleeding. On the basis of our results, tranexamic acid should not be used for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding outside the context of a randomised trial