Continuing professional development in the healthcare sector in Egypt: A readiness assessment

The quality of healthcare services in Egypt is lacking and there is room for improvement. One proposed strategy for improvement is the investment in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of its healthcare staff. This thesis aims at assessing the degree of readiness and acceptance for CPD in the Egyptian healthcare sector and what can be done for effective implementation for improving the quality of healthcare services and patient safety. The qualitative analysis methodology was used. The data were collected through interviews using semi-structured open-ended questions. The questions were built based on the literature review data, observations, and pilot study. The sampling method was non-random and purposive. The target was representative of stakeholder groups who affect and are affected by CPD. Ten Semi-structured interviews were conducted, which included, for example, officials from the general medical syndicate, Dean of the faculty of medicine of a public university, a representative from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and physicians from universities, public hospitals, and other relevant organizations in greater Cairo. The main finding of the study revealed that physicians are motivated for CPD. Books and online search are the main methods for CDP. Young physicians prefer online-search to get the information, but elder physicians prefer to read hard copy books. E-learning courses and websites are not popular among Egyptian physicians. Time, cost and infrastructures are the main challenges for CPD. Physicians need more practical courses and hand on training, rather than just relying on theoretical lectures. Practical training inside the MoH hospitals needs more improvement. There is a limited motivation to develop Egyptian credit hour system now, as there is no system to renew physicians\u27 license to practice in Egypt. Physicians are not motivated to collect credit hours in Egypt, that is not related to credit hours\u27 cost but it is related to usage of these credit hours. International medical certifications are popular among Egyptian physicians, which are an alternative to Ph.D. degree for non-academic physicians. Based on the literature review and field work, the study develops a readiness assessment framework, ends up with a number of suggested areas for improvement, in addition to a draft action plan and Gantt chart

Analyse/conception par points de vue : le profil VUML

L'objectif de la thèse est de proposer une extension du langage de modélisation unifié (UML) orientée points de vue. Cette extension, appelée VUML (View based Unified Modeling Language) offre un formalisme (extension d’UML) pour modéliser un système logiciel par une approche combinant objets et points de vue. Le principal ajout à UML est celui du concept de classe multivues. Une classe multivues est une unité d’abstraction et d’encapsulation qui permet de stocker et restituer l'information en fonction du profil de l'utilisateur. Elle offre des mécanismes de gestion des droits d’accès aux informations, de changement dynamique de points de vue et de gestion de la cohérence entre les vues dépendantes. De plus, VUML propose un modèle de composant multivues qui permet de représenter une classe multivues au niveau du diagramme de composants. Sur le plan sémantique, VUML étend le métamodèle d’UML et introduit un certain nombre de stéréotypes regroupés sous forme d’un profil UML. A l’instar d’UML, la sémantique VUML comprend un aspect statique et un aspect dynamique. La sémantique statique de VUML est définie par le métamodèle, des règles de bonne modélisation (well-formedness rules) exprimées en langage formel OCL (Object Constraint Language) et des descriptions textuelles informelles. La sémantique dynamique quant à elle est décrite d’une manière informelle. Sur le plan méthodologique, VUML propose un noyau d’une démarche qui permet d’intégrer de façon logique et consistante la notion de point de vue dans le processus de développement dans le contexte de l’approche MDA (Model Driven Architecture). L’outil support à VUML a été conçu et réalisé en adaptant l’atelier Objecteering/UML par la technique des profils. Cet outil permet de mener une modélisation à base de vues, de vérifier la cohérence des modèles élaborés et de générer du code objet (Java,...) en appliquant un patron d’implémentation générique sur un diagramme de classes VUML. ABSTRACT : This thesis proposes a viewpoint oriented extension of the Unified Modelling Language. This extension, called VUML (View based Unified Modelling Language) provides a formalism for modelling software systems through objects and viewpoints. The main UML extension is the concept of multiviews class whose goal is to encapsulate and deliver information according to the user profile (viewpoint). VUML allows the dynamic change of viewpoint and offers mechanisms to manage consistency among dependent views. Moreover, VUML proposes a multiviews component model. Such a component allows to represent a multiviews class in a component diagram. On the semantic level, VUML extends the metamodel of UML and introduces a set of stereotypes grouped in a UML profile. As in UML, the VUML semantics includes static and dynamic aspects. The VUML static semantics is defined by the metamodel, the well-formedness rules expressed in the formal language OCL (Object Constraint Language), and informal textual descriptions. The VUML dynamic semantics is described so far in an informal manner. On the methodological level, VUML proposes a process that makes possible a logical and consistent integration of the viewpoint concept in the development process according to the MDA approach. A VUML tool has been designed and implemented by adapting the Objecteering/UML tool through the profile technique. This tool allows to carry out a view based modelling, to check the consistency of the elaborated models and to generate object code (Java...) by applying a generic implementation pattern to a VUML class diagram

Accounting Education and Accountancy Profession in Jordan: The Current Status and the Processes of Improvement

The main aims in the current research paper are to identify the problems that are obstructing the development of accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan and to identify strategies and techniques that can be effective in improving accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan.  The accounting educational system in Jordanian universities should emphasize on how to better serve students and ensure that they will be competitive in the future work force. Accounting education should seek to adapt to the trend of professional accounting development. A questionnaire had been designed and distributed to (73) accounting instructors in Jordan. The population of this study consists of all accounting instructors employed in the both public and private Universities in Jordan. 73 questionnaires were distributed and 56 were returned giving a response rate of 77%. The results of this study revealed that the important factors for the improvement of accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan include inadequate use of computers applications in accounting during teaching process and inadequate salaries of accounting instructors. Poor university infrastructure resulting in the creation of ineffective class groups. Similarly, this research tested a list of strategies and techniques that have been recommended for the improvement of accounting education and the accounting profession in developing countries. The research discovered that many of the strategies could be effective in improving accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan. However, there are other strategies that would not be effective. Some of these include the development of accounting textbooks in domestic languages, setting local auditing and accounting standards and, localising professional accounting examinations. In this research paper, attempts were made to identify problems that are hindering the enhancement of accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan. An analysis of strategies that can be employed to improve accounting education and the accounting profession in Jordan was also carried out, with a view to determine those strategies that can provide effective accounting education in specific developing country. Keywords: Accounting Education, Accounting Profession, Jorda

Ocular manifestations of graft-versus-host disease

AbstractAllogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has evolved over the past two decades to become the standard of care for hematologic and lymphoid malignancies. Major ocular complications after allogeneic HSCT have been increasing in number and severity. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major cause of ocular morbidity after allogeneic HSCT. The main objective of this review is to elucidate the ocular complications in patients developing GVHD following HSCT.Ocular complications secondary to GVHD are common and include dry eye syndrome, acquisition of ocular allergy from donors with allergic disorders. Eyelid changes may occur in GVHD leading to scleroderma-like changes. Patients may develop poliosis, madarosis, vitiligo, lagophthalmos, and entropion. The cornea may show filamentary keratitis, superficial punctate keratitis, corneal ulcers, and peripheral corneal melting which may lead to perforation in severe cases. Scleritis may also occur which can be anterior or posterior. Keratoconjunctivis sicca appears to be the most common presentation of GVHD. The lacrimal glands may be involved with mononuclear cell infiltration of both the major and accessory lacrimal glands and decrease in tear production.Severe dry eye syndrome in patients with GVHD may develop conjunctival scarring, keratinization, and cicatrization of the conjunctiva.Therapy of GVHD includes systemic immunosuppression and local therapy. Surgical treatment in refractory cases includes surgical intervention to improve the manifestation of GVHD of the eye. This may include tarsorrhapy, prose lenses, punctal occlusions and corneal transplantation

A graph based approach to trace models composition

International audienceA model driven engineering process involves different and heterogeneous models that represent various perspectives of the system under development. The model composition operation allows combining those sub-models into an integrated view, but remains a tedious activity. For that, traceability information must be maintained to comprehend the composition effects and better manage the operation itself. Against this context, the current paper describes a framework for model composition traceability. We consider the traces generation concern as a crosscutting concern where the weaving mechanism is performed using graph transformations. A composition specification case study is presented to illustrate our contribution