Search results for: mitochondrial turnover

Authors: Anjani Kumar Tiwari, Neelam Kumari, Anil Mishra

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The 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) previously called as peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, is proven biomarker for variety of neuroinflammation. TSPO is tryptophane rich five transmembranal protein found on outer mitochondrial membrane of steroid synthesising and immunomodulatory cells. In case of neuronal damage or inflammation the expression level of TSPO get upregulated as an immunomodulatory response. By utilizing Benzoxazolone as a basic scaffold, series of TSPO ligands have been designed followed by their screening through in silico studies. Synthesis has been planned by employing convergent methodology in six high yielding steps. For the synthesized ligands the ‘in vitro’ assay was performed to determine the binding affinity in term of Ki. On ischemic rat brain, autoradiography studies were also carried to check the specificity and affinity of the designed radiolabelled ligand for TSPO.Screening was performed on the basis of GScore of CADD based schrodinger software. All the modified and better prospective compound were successfully carried out and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, NMR and HRMS). In vitro binding assay showed best binding affinity Ki = 6.1+ 0.3 for TSPO over central benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) Ki > 200. ARG studies indicated higher uptake of two analogues on the lesion side compared with that on the non-lesion side of ischemic rat brains. Displacement experiments with unlabelled ligand had minimized the difference in uptake between the two sides which indicates the specificity of the ligand towards TSPO receptor.

Keywords: TSPO, PET, imaging, Acetamidobenzoxazolone

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Authors: Naheed Malik, Waheed Akhtar

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An introduction to the Islamic move towards the managing human resource is a preliminary attempt to provide managers with a useful way of managing and accepting employees. This knowledge would be helpful to even non-Muslim managers. Muslim managers are required not to know only the Islamic HR but also it is expected from them to apply the Islamic approach in managing the employees. Human resource is considered the most substantial asset of organizations. Studies have recommended that successful human resource management (HRM) leads to positive attitudes and behaviors at the workplace. On the contrary, unproductive use of human resources results in negative penalty in the form of lower job satisfaction, lower commitment, or even high employee turnover and even poor workforce quality.The study examined the Impact of Islamic HR practices on job satisfaction. Islamic HR variables encompass the aspects of performance appraisal, training and development, selection and recruitment. Data was obtained via self –administered questionnaires distributed among the employees of Banks in Pakistan which are practicing Islamic Banking. The sampling method employed was purposive sampling.Based on 240 responses obtained ,the study revealed that Islamic HRM deliberates the 40per cent of the variances in Job satisfaction .All variables excluding recruitment were found to be substantially pertinent to the dependent variable. The study also meditated the implications for future studies.

Keywords: islamic HRM, job satisfaction, islamic and conventional banks, Pakistan

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Authors: Ching-Yuan Huang, Rhay-Hung Weng, Yi-Ting Chen

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Mentoring functions will improve new nurses' job performance, provide support with new nurses, and then reduce the turnover rate of them. This study explored the impact of transformational leadership and interpersonal interaction on mentoring functions. We employed a questionnaire survey to collect data and selected a sample of new nurses from three hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 306 valid surveys were obtained. Multiple regression model analysis was conducted to test the study hypothesis. Inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and individualized consideration had a positive influence on overall mentoring function, but intellectual stimulation had a positive influence on career development function only. Perceived similarity and interaction frequency also had positive influences on mentoring functions. When the shift overlap rate exceeded 80%, mentoring function experienced a negative result. The transformational leadership of mentors actually would improve the mentoring functions among new staff nurses. Perceived similarity and interaction frequency between mentees and mentors also had a positive influence on mentoring functions. Managers should enhance the transformational leadership of mentors by designing leadership training and motivation programs. Furthermore, nursing managers should promote the interaction between new staff nurses and their mentors, but the shift overlap rate should not exceed 80%.

Keywords: interpersonal interaction, mentoring function, mentor, new nurse, transformational leadership

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Authors: Noura Shehab-Eldeen, Mohamed Elsherbeeny, Hossam Elmetwally, Mohamed Salama, Ahmed Lotfy, Mohamed Elgamal, Hussein Sheashaa, Mohamed Sobh

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Mitochondrial toxins including papaverine may be implicated in the etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The aim was to detect the effect of papaverine on the proliferation and viability of neural stem cells. Rat neural progenitor cells were isolated from embryos (E14) brains. The dispersed tissues were allowed to settle, then, The supernatant was centrifuged at 1,000 g for 5 min. The pellet was placed in Hank’s solution cultured as free-floating neurospheres Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) and Hams F12 (3:1) supplemented with B27 (Invitrogen GmBH, Karlsruhe, Germany), 20 ng/mL epidermal growth factor (EGF; Biosource, Karlsruhe, Germany), 20 ng/mL recombinant human fibroblast growth factor (rhFGF; R&D Systems, Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt, Germany), and penicillin and streptomycin (1:100; Invitrogen) at 37°C with 7.5% CO2 . Differentiation was initiated by growth factor withdrawal and plating onto a poly-d-lysine/ laminin matrix. The neurospheres were fed every 2-3 days by replacing 50% of the culture media with fresh media. The culture suspension was transferred to a dish containing 16 wells. The wells were divided as follows: 4 wells received no papaverine (control), 4 wells 1 u, 4 wells 5 u and 4 wells 10 u of papaverine solution. In the next 2 weeks, photography (0,4,5,11days) and viability test were done. The photographs were analysed. Results : papaverine didn't affect proliferation of neurospheres, while it affected viability compared to control , this was dose related. Conclusion: This indicates the harmful effect of papaverine suggesting it to be a candidate neurotoxin causing Parkinsonism.

Keywords: neurospheres, neural stem cells, papaverine, Parkinsonism

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Authors: K. Henna, F. Toumi, Z. Amirat, F. Khammar, S. Charallah

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Saharan goat is a traditional goat breed widely distributed in the South West of Algeria. This breed is famous for its fertility, prolificacy, meat, and fibers and is well adapted to the harsh environmental conditions of its biotope. In fact, it is characterized by resistance to long photoperiods, a low water turnover and reduced metabolic needs allowing the survival of its offspring by maintaining the lactation. Several studies have claimed that parturition and lactation are critical periods that require the involvement of galactopoietic's hormones. Among them, Prolactin (PRL). The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in plasma PRL levels of healthy female Saharan goats on the day of parturition and post-partum (PP). The study was conducted on 14 females kept at the research station of Béni-Abbès: 30°07' N, 2°10' W; 495m elevation). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein on the day of parturition (D0) and then weekly of PP (W1 to W12). Results were statistically analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and Dunn's tests in GraphPad Prism. Plasma PRL increases gradually (P>0.05) with slight fluctuations from D0 to W2 and reaches two peaks at W3 and W9 (258.2 ± 36.4 and 229.4 ± 35.1 ng/mL, respectively); this increase remains stable until W12 of lactation. The results show important modifications in plasma PRL levels in the Saharan goats on the day of parturition and in early lactation, which is needed for milk synthesis to ensure the maintenance of lactation and the growth of kids. Moreover, this study deserves to be supplemented by the dosage of thyroid hormones and estrogens to better clarify the endogenous determinism of these variations.

Keywords: prolactin, parturition, lactation, Saharan goat

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Authors: Sara Dehaiman Alqahtani

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This study investigates the effects of cybersecurity breaches on critical audit outcomes, specifically focusing on auditor changes, engagement partner rotations, and the issuance of going concern opinions. Utilizing an extensive dataset of U.S.-based firms spanning from 2006 to 2023, the research employs propensity score matching (PSM) to address selection bias and control for confounding variables. The analysis reveals that, contrary to conventional expectations, firms that experience cybersecurity breaches are less likely to change their audit firms and engagement partners. Additionally, these breached firms are less likely to receive going concern opinions from their auditors. However, an exception is noted within the technology sector, where breached firms show a higher propensity to switch auditors, potentially to demonstrate a commitment to enhanced cybersecurity measures. The findings suggest a strong preference for continuity in auditor-client relationships following cybersecurity incidents. This preference underscores the importance of auditors' existing knowledge of a firm's systems and controls, which is deemed valuable during periods of heightened risk. The study extends the existing literature by moving beyond the well-documented impact of breaches on audit fees to explore other significant dimensions of the auditor-client relationship. It challenges the traditional assumption that increased risk from breaches leads to higher auditor turnover or more conservative audit opinions, highlighting instead a tendency towards maintaining stability. Methodologically, the research leverages PSM to create a balanced comparison between breached and non-breached firms, ensuring robustness in the findings. Logistic regression analyses further substantiate the associations between breaches and audit outcomes, controlling for various firm-specific characteristics such as size, financial performance, and industry classification. Supplemental analyses explore additional factors, including litigation risk, breach frequency, and industry-specific responses, providing a nuanced understanding of the dynamics at play. The study’s main contributions are threefold. First, it broadens the scope of research on cybersecurity breaches by examining their impact on auditor changes and going concern opinions, areas previously underexplored. Second, it offers empirical evidence that breached firms tend to retain their auditors and engagement partners, suggesting that continuity is valued over potential audit quality improvements through auditor changes. Third, it highlights sector-specific behaviors, particularly within the technology industry, where breaches do lead to higher auditor turnover, indicating industry-specific risk management strategies. Implications of this research are significant for auditors, clients, and regulators. Auditors may need to enhance their risk assessment frameworks to better incorporate cybersecurity risks, ensuring that audit practices remain robust in the face of evolving cyber threats. Clients should evaluate the benefits of retaining existing auditors against the potential advantages of engaging new auditors who might offer fresh perspectives and specialized cybersecurity expertise. Regulators might consider updating auditing standards to more explicitly address cybersecurity risks, ensuring that such threats are adequately reflected in audit procedures and disclosures. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of how cybersecurity breaches influence audit outcomes, revealing a preference for auditor continuity and questioning whether current auditing frameworks sufficiently account for cyber risks. By highlighting these trends, the research calls for a reassessment of audit practices and regulatory standards to better address the complexities introduced by the increasing prevalence of cyber threats in the digital age.

Keywords: cybersecurity breaches, auditor changes, engagement partner rotations, going concern opinions, auditor-client relationships, audit risk assessment

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Authors: Satinder Bhatia

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Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) was a concept introduced in India in 2009. Ever since then, there has been a fierce growth in the number of organizations registered as LLPs outpacing the number of registrations as private companies. Among other benefits extended to LLPs, the audit being mandated only for LLPs having a turnover of at least Rs 40 lakhs or capital contribution of Rs 25 lakhs, has been a major attraction. This has resulted in only about 10 per cent of LLPs coming under mandatory audit. Even for such companies, the accounting standards to be followed in the preparation of financial statements have not been specified. The Revised Indian Accounting Standards (Revised IndAS) which are aligned with IFRS to a great extent, may apply to LLPs only under limited conditions. Thus, the veracity of even the audited financial statements of LLPs can be questioned. If in future, these LLPs would like to list on a stock exchange to raise capital, there can be serious hurdles if investors do not find the financial statements to be reliable and consistent. LLPs are generally governed by country-specific rules in the area of accounts and audit. Thus, such rules vary across UK, EU and the USA. Some countries have adopted the IFRS for SMEs and since LLPs can be referred to as SMEs; they would come under the ambit of these IFRS provisions. Besides, as the scope of audit widens to cover qualitative information in addition to quantitative data, audit of LLPs has now acquired a new meaning and a new urgency as demands for at least limited purpose audits are arising from different stakeholders including lenders, suppliers, customers and joint venture partners.

Keywords: audit disclosures, audit quality, guidance for SMEs, non-audit services

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Authors: Sajid Aman

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Jobs in the banking sector in Pakistan are perceived as very tough, due to which employee turnover is very high. However, the managerial role is very important in influencing employees’ attitudes toward their turnout. This paper explores the manager’s role in influencing employees’ effectiveness on the job. The paper adopted a pragmatic approach by combining both qualitative and quantitative data. The study employed an exploratory sequential strategy under a mixed-method research design. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Five major themes, such as the manager’s attitude towards employees, his leadership style, listening to employee’s personal problems, provision of personal loans without interest and future career prospects, emerged as key factors increasing employee’s effectiveness in the banking sector. The quantitative data revealed that a manager’s attitude, leadership style, availability to listen to employees’ personal problems, and future career prospects and listening to employee’s personal problems are strongly associated with employees’ effectiveness at the job. However, personal loan without interest was noted as having no significant association with employee’s effectiveness at the job. The study concludes manager’s role is more important in the effectiveness of the employees at their job in the banking sector. It is suggested that managers should have a positive attitude towards employees and give time to listening to employee’s problems, even personal ones.

Keywords: banking sector, employee’s effectiveness, manager’s role, leadership style

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Authors: Jui-Hsiu Chang

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As an increasing number of restaurants are growing, the demand for man force in the food service industry is dramatically increasing as well. However, food service workers often complete the heavy workload, infrequent breaks, long hours and shifts. With the overwhelming workload, many workers have experienced high injury rates. As a result, the restaurant industry reports a higher employee turnover rate compare to other service industries in Taiwan. Restaurant managers are seeing ways to retain good employees in order to provide good quality service for daily operation. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship among exercise participation, job stress and job satisfaction on the food service employees. In addition, to examine how the job stress affected their job satisfaction. A survey using a self-reported questionnaire was conducted to collect data, and 269 questionnaires were collected for data analysis. The obtained materials were analyzed using descriptive statistic, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, linear regression analysis. The results show that 1. Job stress had a significantly negative influence on employees’ job satisfaction. 2. Exercise participation had significantly positive influence on employees’ job satisfaction. 3. Job stress and job satisfaction varied among the groups of respondent with different level of exercise involvement. Furthermore, the practical implications were proposed for the food service company management when developing daily operational strategies.

Keywords: exercise participation, food service employees, job satisfaction, job stress

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Authors: Sadhana Shukla, Pushplata Singh, Nidhi Didwania

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Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are a highly advantageous and versatile group of fungi that significantly contribute to the formation of soil organic matter by creating a demand for plant carbon (C) and distributing it through below-ground hyphal biomass, regardless of their substantial contribution in enhancing net primary productivity and accumulating additional photosynthetic fixed C in the soil. The genetic role of AM fungi in carbon cycling is largely unexplored. In our study, we propose that AM fungi significantly interact with the soil, particularly: the provision of photosynthates by plants. We have studied the expression of AM fungi genes involved in CO₂ sequestration during host-plant interaction was investigated by qPCR studies. We selected Rhizophagus proliferus (AM fungi) and Oryza sativa (Rice) (inoculated with or without 200ppg AMF inoculums per plant) and investigated the effect of AM fungi on soil organic carbon (SOC) and rice growth under field conditions. Results thus provided faster SOC turnover, 35% increased nutrient uptake in plants and pronounced hyphal biomass of AM fungi which enhanced soil carbon storage by 15% in comparison to uninoculated plants. This study will offer a foundation for delving into various carbon-soil studies while also advancing our comprehension of the relationship between AM fungi and the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems.

Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, carbon sequestration, gene expression, soil health, plant development.

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Authors: T. Pakulski, L. Kryza, A. Linossier

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The BEar Articulated TeleRobotic Inspection and Clasping Extremity is a lightweight, 5 DoF robotic manipulator for the Berlin Educational Assistant Rover (BEAR). BEAR is one of the educational planetary rovers developed under the Space Rover projects at the Chair of Space Technology of the Technische Universität Berlin. The projects serve to conduct research and train engineers by developing rovers for competitions like the European Rover Challenge and the DLR SpaceBot Cup. BEATRICE is the result of a cost-driven design process to deliver a simple but capable platform for a variety of competition tasks: object grasping and manipulation, inspection, instrument wielding and more. The manipulator’s simple mechatronic design, based on a combination of servomotors and stepper motors with planetary gearboxes, also makes it a practical tool for developing embedded control systems. The platform’s initial implementation relies on tele-operated control but is fully instrumented for future autonomous functionality. This paper describes BEATRICE’s development from its preliminary link model to its structural and mechatronic design, embedded control and AI and T. In parallel, it examines the influence of budget constraints and high personnel turnover commonly associated with student teams on the manipulator’s design. Finally, it comments on the utility of robot design projects for educating future engineers.

Keywords: education, low-cost, manipulator, robotics, rover

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Authors: Supriadi Hardianto, Aditya Daniswara

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Today's workplace, flooded by millennial Generation or known also as Generation Y. A common problem that faced by the company towards Gen Y is a high turnover rate, attitudes problem, communication style, and different work style than the older generation. This is common in private sector. The objective of this study is to get a better understanding of the Gen Y Career Attitude at the workplace. The subject of this study is focusing on 430 respondent of Gen Y which age between 20 – 35 years old who works for a private company. The Questionnaire as primary data source captured 9 aspects of career attitude based on Career Attitudes Strategy Inventory (CASI). This Survey distributes randomly among Gen Y in the IT Industry (125 Respondent) and Manufacture Company (305 Respondent). A Random deep interview was conducted to get the better understanding of the etiology of their primary obstacles. The study showed that most of Indonesia Gen Y have a moderate score on Job satisfaction but in the other aspects, Gen Y has the lowest score on Skill Development, Career Worries, Risk-Taking Style, Dominant Style, Work Involvement, Geographical Barrier, Interpersonal Abuse, and Family Commitment. The top 5 obstacles outside that 9 aspects that faced by Gen Y are 1. Lower communication & networking support; 2. Self-confidence issues; 3. Financial Problem; 4. Emotional issues; 5. Age. We also found that parent perspective toward the way they are nurturing their child are not aligned with their child’s real life. This research fundamentally helps the organization and other Gen Y’s Stakeholders to have a better understanding of Gen Y Career Attitude at the workplace.

Keywords: career attitudes, CASI, Gen Y, career attitude at workplace

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Authors: Drew Fockler

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This research examines how to improve an employee’s experience when transferring between departments within an organization. This research includes a historical review of a Canadian retail organization. Based on this historical review, gaps are identified between current and future visions to show where problems with existing training and development practices need to be resolved to reduce front-line employee turnover within an organization. The strategies within this paper support leaders through the LEAD: Listen, Explore, Act and Develop, Change Management Model. The LEAD Change Management Model supports the change process. This research proposes three possible solutions to improve an employee who is transferring between departments. The best solution to resolve the problem of improving an employee moving between departments experience is creating a Training Manager position within the retail store. A Training Manager position could support both employees and leadership with training and development of staff who are moving between departments. Within this research, an implementation plan using the TransX Model was created. The TransX Model is a hybrid of Leader-Member Exchange Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory to facilitate this organizational change within an organization by creating a common vision. Finally, this research provides the next steps as well as future considerations to enhance the training manager role within an organization.

Keywords: employee transfers, employee engagement, human resources, employee induction, TransX model, lead change management model

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Authors: Benchouala Amira, Bojic Clement, Poupin Pascal, Cossu Leguille-carole

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The objective of this study is to evaluate in vitro the cytotoxic and androgenic potential of several antifungal molecules (amphotericin B, econazole, ketoconazole and miconazole) on MDA-Kb2 cell lines. This biological model is an effective tool for the detection of endocrine disruptors because it responds well to the main agonist of the androgen receptor (testosterone) and also to an antagonist: flutamide. The cytotoxicity of each chemical compound tested was measured using an MTT assay (tetrazolium salt, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) which measures the activity of the reductase function of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase enzymes of cultured cells. This complementary cytotoxicity test is essential to ensure that the effects of reduction in luminescence intensity observed during androgenic tests are only attributable to the anti-androgenic action of the compounds tested and not to their possible cytotoxic properties. Tests of the androgenic activity of antifungals show that these compounds do not have the capacity to induce transcription of the luciferase gene. These compounds do not exert an androgenic effect on MDA-Kb2 cells in culture for the environmental concentrations tested. The addition of flutamide for the same tested concentrations of antifungal molecules reduces the luminescence induced by amphotericin B, econazole and miconazole, which is explained by a strong interaction of these molecules with flutamide which may have a greater toxic effect than when tested alone. The cytotoxicity test shows that econazole and ketoconazole can cause cell death at certain concentrations tested. This cell mortality is perhaps induced by a direct or indirect action on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) or proteins necessary for cell division.

Keywords: cytotoxicity, androgenic potential, antifungals, MDA-Kb2

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Authors: J. B. Minari, O. B. Oloyede

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Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) play a crucial role in a variety of infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Indeed, the involvement of PMNs in host defence against Plasmodium falciparum is well documented both in vitro and in vivo. Many of the antimalarial drugs such as chloroquine used in the treatment of human malaria significantly reduce the immune response of the host in vitro and in vivo. Myeloperoxidase is the most abundant enzyme found in the polymorphonuclear neutrophil which plays a crucial role in its function. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of chloroquine on the enzyme. In investigating the effects of the drug on myeloperoxidase, the influence of concentration, pH, partition ratio estimation and kinetics of inhibition were studied. This study showed that chloroquine is concentration-dependent inhibitor of myeloperoxidase with an IC50 of 0.03 mM. Partition ratio estimation showed that 40 enzymatic turnover cycles are required for complete inhibition of myeloperoxidase in the presence of chloroquine. The influence of pH on the effect of chloroquine on the enzyme showed significant inhibition of myeloperoxidase at physiological pH. The kinetic inhibition studies showed that chloroquine caused a non-competitive inhibition with an inhibition constant Ki of 0.27mM. The results obtained from this study shows that chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of myeloperoxidase and it is capable of inactivating the enzyme. It is therefore considered that the inhibition of myeloperoxidase in the presence of chloroquine as revealed in this study may partly explain the impairment of polymorphonuclear neutrophil and consequent immunosuppression of the host defence system against secondary infections.

Keywords: myeloperoxidase, chloroquine, inhibition, neutrophil, immune

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Authors: Oluwatosin Adetola Arojojoye, Olajumoke Olufunlayo Alao, Philip Odigili

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This study investigated the extent of pollution in Eleyele River in Oyo State, Nigeria by investigating the antioxidant status and malondialdehyde levels (index of lipid peroxidation) in the organs of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus from the river. Clarias gariepinus weighing between 250g-400g were collected from Eleyele River (a suspected polluted river) and Clarias gariepinus from a clean fish farm (Durantee fisheries) were used as the control. Levels of malondialdehyde, glutathione concentration (GSH) and activities of antioxidant enzymes - superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were evaluated in the post-mitochondrial fractions of the liver, kidney and gills of the fishes. From the results, there were increases in malondialdehyde level and GSH concentration in the liver, kidney and gills of Clarias gariepinus from Eleyele River when compared with control. Glutathione-S-transferase activity was induced in the liver and kidney of Clarias gariepinus from Eleyele River when compared with control. However, the activity of this enzyme was depleted in the gills of fishes from Eleyele River compared with control. Also there was an induction in SOD activity in the liver of Clarias gariepinus from Eleyele River when compared with control but there was a decrease in the activity of this enzyme in the kidney and gills of fishes from Eleyele River compared with control. Increase in lipid peroxidation and alterations in antioxidant system in Clarias gariepinus from Eleyele River show that the fishes were under oxidative stress. These suggest that the river is polluted probably as a result of industrial, domestic and agricultural wastes frequently discharged into the river. This could pose serious health risks to consumers of water and aquatic organisms from the river.

Keywords: antioxidant, lipid peroxidation, Clarias gariepinus, Eleyele River

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Authors: ZeinolAbedin Rahmani, Marzieh Evazi Borazjani, Nooshin Salehi

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Organizations are increasingly facing changes and developments scientific, technological, social, cultural changes among these organizations those ones are reckoned successful and effective that in addition to coordinating the development of modern society can forecast future changes and be able to accommodate these changes in order to create favorable developments to build a better future. But we can change that with the changes that occur in the organization of the program it will distinguish. Today's organizations need leaders that change and grow them have to survive. In fact, without transformational managers and leaders, it is certainly difficult to create changes in organizations. Both private and public organizations need to increase knowledge and awareness of the cause widespread changes in the structure, culture and practice for the viability and sustainability of life and growth and development. By now, different signs have determined different causes for a suitable function of employees. However, the important thing is that the commitment of the employees to their organization has always been very important. Since the decrease of organization commitment causes the high rate of absenteeism, turnover intentions, and even to reduce the impact of health staff. and these factors prevent organizations from achieving its goals. If organizations want to retain staff, the organization must find a way to be happy and continue their work with commitment, motivation, and willingness. So here is the need for strong leaders, analysts, creative and transformational upper ranks more than ever is felt. The aim of this study is to revise history, the leadership style of managers shipbuilding company by using the MLQ model.

Keywords: leadership style, managers, organizational, manufacturing company, sustainability of life

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Authors: Suvankar Chakraborty

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Introduction: Corporate Social Responsibility means the obligations of business to act in a manner which will serve the best interests of the Society. The Companies Act , 2013 for the first time has emphasized on the fact that every company having net worth of rupees five hundred crore or more, or turnover of rupees one thousand crore or more or a net profit of rupees five crore or more during any financial year shall constitute a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the Board consisting of three or more directors, out of which at least one director shall be an independent director. In the previous Companies Act, 1956 there was no such compulsion for constituting a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. Objective: This study examines the changes in the perception of corporate sectors so far as social responsibility is concerned. Methodology: The study is based on secondary data obtained from various websites of different corporate sectors and the Gazette of India related to Companies Act, 1956 and the new Companies Act, 2013. For capturing the perception of the corporate world regarding the provisions of CSR in the new Companies Act, 2013, primary data has been collected through structured questionnaire. Findings: Corporate Social Responsibility can put a company on a strong base of sustainable development and in facing the business risk of foreclosure or winding up. Shouldering social responsibility on a long-term basis can help a company not only in increasing its reputation in the business world but also helps in minimizing Government intervention. . But, there can hardly be any universal rule that the area of social responsibility being wholly and solely dependent on the ethical aspect of the corporate sectors. But having said that it may be asserted that business ethics may be a key driver of CSR activities rather than rule based CSR activities in the years to come.

Keywords: business ethics, corporate social responsibility, companies act, 2013, CSR committee

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Authors: Zahid Ahmad, Samia Yousaf

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The main purpose of this study is to evaluate and assess the financial position, operating performance, and recent outlook of the companies. This study investigates the impact of capital structure, dividend policy and sustainability on the value of firms of textile spinning sector of Pakistan which is listed on Pakistan stock exchange. The panel data technique has been applied to this group of textile sector which is textile spinning. This study covers the last ten years of time period. All the data related to the variables have been collected from the annual reports and financial statements of the textile sector firms. There are differently related determinants to measure the capital structure which are fixed assets turnover ratio, debt ratio, equity ratio, debt to equity ratio, assets tangibility, and shareholder’s equity. Dividend policy is being measured by two determinants which are earning per share (EPS) and dividend payout ratio. Sustainability is being measured by three suitable factors which are sales growth, gross profit margin ratio and firm size. These are three independent variables and their determinants of this study. Value of firm is measured through the return on asset (ROA). Capital structure is at the top of the list among all the three variables. According to the results of this research work, somewhere all the three variables generates positive and significant effect on the firm’s performance and its growth.

Keywords: capital structure, dividend policy, panel data, sustainability

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Authors: Aneela Sheikh

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Private higher education institutes are challenged for their resilience and competitive edge in the globalized knowledge-based economy in the 21st century. Faculty retention plays an important role as a catalyst for addressing the current mega-developmental phenomenon in higher education institutes faced by developing countries. This study intends to explore the influence of servant leadership practice on faculty retention through the intervening role of job satisfaction towards minimizing the high faculty turnover in private higher education institutes, with the mediating role of job satisfaction. A sample of 341 faculty members from ten private higher education institutes in Lahore city of Pakistan, was selected through a stratified proportionate random sampling technique. A descriptive survey research approach was employed to collect data from 341 faculty members by administering a close-ended questionnaire based on a seven-point Likert scale as a self-administered research instrument. The study was conducted under the domain of the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory. The mediating role of job satisfaction was measured by bootstrapping technique. The results revealed that servant leadership has a statistically significant influence on faculty retention, with a statistically significant mediating role of job satisfaction, in private higher education institutes in Pakistan. Further, up to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic and empirical study on faculty retention conducted against the backdrop of servant leadership in an Eastern context, particularly in Pakistan.

Keywords: servant leadership, faculty retention, job satisfaction, higher education institutes

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Authors: Stafford Stewart, Hui Yu, Rominder Suri

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This paper publishes the results of the first known study conducted in urban Philadelphia waterways that simultaneously utilized anthropogenic chemical and biological markers to identify suitable indicators of untreated human waste and fecal pollution. A total of 13 outfall samples, 30 surface water samples, and 2 groundwater samples were analyzed for fecal contamination and untreated human waste using a suite of 25 chemical markers and 5 bio-markers. Pearson rank correlation tests were conducted to establish associations between the abundances of bio-markers and the concentrations of chemical markers. Results show that 16S rRNA gene of human-associated Bacteroidales (BacH) was very strongly correlated (0.76 – 0.97, p < 0.05) with labile chemical markers acetaminophen, cotinine, estriol, and urobilin. Likewise, human-specific F- RNA coliphages (F-RNA-II) and labile chemical markers, urobilin, ibuprofen, cotinine and estriol, were significantly correlated (0.77 – 0.95, p < 0.05). Similarly, a strong positive correlation (0.67 – 0.91, p < 0.05) was evident between the abundances of bio-markers BacH and F-RNA-II, and the concentrations of the conservative markers, trimethoprim, meprobamate, diltiazem, triclocarban, metformin, sucralose, gemfibrozil, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine. Human mitochondrial DNA (MitoH) correlated moderately with labile markers nicotine and salicylic acid as well as with conservative markers metformin and triclocarban (0.31 – 0.47, p<0.05). This study showed that by associating chemical and biological markers, a robust technique was developed for fingerprinting source-specific untreated waste and fecal contamination in source waters.

Keywords: anthropogenic markers, bacteroidales, fecal pollution, source waters, wastewater

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Authors: A. Ashraff

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The increasing importance of the web as a medium for electronic and business transactions has served as a catalyst or rather a driving force for the introduction and implementation of recommender systems. Recommender Systems play a major role in processing and analyzing thousands of data rows or reviews and help humans make a purchase decision of a product or service. It also has the ability to predict whether a particular user would rate a product or service based on the user’s profile behavioral pattern. At present, Recommender Systems are being used extensively in every domain known to us. They are said to be ubiquitous. However, in the field of recruitment, it’s not being utilized exclusively. Recent statistics show an increase in staff turnover, which has negatively impacted the organization as well as the employee. The reasons being company culture, working flexibility (work from home opportunity), no learning advancements, and pay scale. Further investigations revealed that there are lacking guidance or support, which helps a job seeker find the company that will suit him best, and though there’s information available about companies, job seekers can’t read all the reviews by themselves and get an analytical decision. In this paper, we propose an approach to study the available review data on IT companies (score their reviews based on user review sentiments) and gather information on job seekers, which includes their Psychometric evaluations. Then presents the job seeker with useful information or rather outputs on which company is most suitable for the job seeker. The theoretical approach, Algorithmic approach and the importance of such a system will be discussed in this paper.

Keywords: psychometric tests, recommender systems, sentiment analysis, hybrid recommender systems

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Authors: A. Myrzabekova, D. Nurmukhamed, K. Nurumov, A. Zhulbarissova

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It is widely believed that stress can affect teachers’ intention to change the workplace. While existing research primarily focuses on the intrinsic sources of stress stemming from the school climate, the current attempt analyzes educational policies as one of the determinants of teacher’s intention to leave schools. In this respect, Kazakhstan presents a unique case since the country endorsed several educational policies which directly impacted teaching and administrative practices within schools. Using Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 (TALIS) data with the country specific questionnaire, we construct a statistical measure of stress caused by the implementation of educational policies and test its impact on teacher’s intention to leave through the logistic regression. In addition, we control for sociodemographic, professional, and students related covariates while considering the intrinsic dimension of stress stemming from the school climate. Overall, our results suggest that stress caused by the educational policies has a statistically significant positive effect on teachers’ intentions to transfer between schools. Both policy makers and educational scholars could find these results beneficial. For the former careful planning and addressing the negative effects of the educational policies is critical for the sustainability of the educational process. For the latter, accounting for exogenous sources of stress can lead to a more complete understanding of why teachers decide to change their schools.

Keywords: educational policies, Kazakhstani teachers, logistic regression factor analysis, sustainability education TALIS, teacher turnover intention, work stress

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Authors: Riyadh Jamegh, AllaEldin Kassam, Sawsan Sabih

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In modern trends of market, organizations face high-pressure environment which is characterized by globalization, high competition, and customer orientation, so it is very crucial to control and know the weak and strong points of the supply chain in order to improve their performance. So the performance measurements presented as an important tool of supply chain management because it's enabled the organizations to control, understand, and improve their efficiency. This paper aims to identify supply chain performance measurement (SCPM) by using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP). In our real application, the performance of organizations estimated based on four parameters these are cost parameter indicator of cost (CPI), inventory turnover parameter indicator of (INPI), raw material parameter (RMPI), and safety stock level parameter indicator (SSPI), these indicators vary in impact on performance depending upon policies and strategies of organization. In this research (FAHP) technique has been used to identify the importance of such parameters, and then first fuzzy inference (FIR1) is applied to identify performance indicator of each factor depending on the importance of the factor and its value. Then, the second fuzzy inference (FIR2) also applied to integrate the effect of these indicators and identify (SCPM) which represent the required output. The developed approach provides an effective tool for evaluation of supply chain performance measurement.

Keywords: fuzzy performance measurements, supply chain, fuzzy logic, key performance indicator

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Authors: Sammy Kibor, Filip Huyghe, Marc Kochzius, James Kairo

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Goldstripe Sardinella, Sardinella gibbosa, (Bleeker, 1849) is a commercially and ecologically important small pelagic fish common in the Western Indian Ocean region. The present study aimed to assess genetic diversity and population structure of the species in the Kenya-Tanzania transboundary area using mtDNA and msDNA markers. Some 630 bp sequence in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Cytochrome C Oxidase I (COI) and five polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci were analyzed. Fin clips of 309 individuals from eight locations within the transboundary area were collected between July and December 2018. The S. gibbosa individuals from the different locations were distinguishable from one another based on the mtDNA variation, as demonstrated with a neighbor-joining tree and minimum spanning network analysis. None of the identified 22 haplotypes were shared between Kenya and Tanzania. Gene diversity per locus was relatively high (0.271-0.751), highest Fis was 0.391. The structure analysis, discriminant analysis of Principal component (DAPC) and the pair-wise (FST = 0.136 P < 0.001) values after Bonferroni correction using five microsatellite loci provided clear inference on genetic differentiation and thus evidence of population structure of S. gibbosa along the Kenya-Tanzania coast. This study shows a high level of genetic diversity and the presence of population structure (Φst =0.078 P < 0.001) resulting to the existence of four populations giving a clear indication of minimum gene flow among the population. This information has application in the designing of marine protected areas, an important tool for marine conservation.

Keywords: marine connectivity, microsatellites, population genetics, transboundary

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Authors: Aly Kassem, Eman A. Sabet, Hanaa A. El-Hady, Doha S. Mohamed, Abeer Sheneef, Mona Fattouh, Mamdouh M. Esmat

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Objective: Giardia lamblia parasite is the most common protozoal infection in human. Concomitant Helecobacter Pylori (H. pylori) and Giardia lamblia infection is common for their similar mode of transmission and strong correlation to socioeconomic levels. Only few reports had described gastric giardiasis. Our aim was to detect H. pylori and Giardia in gastric antral mucosal biopsies from patients with dyspepsia. The impact of both pathogens on clinical, endoscopic and histopathogical changes was studied. Methods: 48 patients with dyspepsia (group1) and 28 control patients (patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy EGD for reasons other than dyspepsia), (group 2) were studied. Endoscopic data were reported and gastric biopsy specimens were obtained for subsequent PCR assay for both organisms and for histopathological and electron microscopic examination. Results: Endoscopic antral gastritis and duodenal lesions were found in both groups, however, they were significantly more frequently in group 1 (p= 0.002 and P= 0.0005 respectively). Esophageal lesions, nodular antral gastritis, gastric ulcers and superficial corpal gastritis were found only in group 1. PCR detected H. pylori infection in 58% Vs 64 % for group 1 and group 2 respectively (P: NS). Giardia infection was present in 67 % Vs 42 % for group 1 and group 2 respectively (P=0.0003, Odd ratio=2.6). Co-infection with H. pylori and Giardia was present in 33% of group 1 Vs 36% for group 2 (P:NS). Abnormal histologic findings were found in both groups, however, intestinal metaplasia was found in group 1 only. Cellular abnormalities in the form of cytoplasmic vacuoles, mitochondrial destruction or nuclear abnormalities were found by Electron microscopic study in infected subjects of both groups. Conclusion: H. pylori is not the only gastric pathogen in our community, gastric giardiasis is another pathogen. Its contribution might be a factor in persistent dyspepsia after H. pylori eradication.

Keywords: dyspepsia, gastritis, Giardia lamblia, H. pylori

Procedia PDF Downloads 306

Authors: Elham Dehghan, A. Shirzadi Javid, Mohsen Tadayon

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Labor productivity is very important and gained special concerns among professionals in the construction industry, worldwide. Productivity improvements on labors achieve higher cost savings with minimal investment. Due to the fact that profit margins are small on construction projects, cost savings associated with productivity are crucial to become a successful contractor. This research program studies and highlights the factors affecting labor productivity in Iranian construction industry. A questionnaire was used to gather the relevant data from respondents who involve in managing various types of projects in wide areas in Iran. It involved ranking 57 predefined factors divided into 5 categories: Human/Labor; Financial; Management; Equipments/Materials and Environmental. Total 62 feedbacks were analyzed through the Relative Importance Index (RII) technique. The top ten factors affecting construction labor productivity in Iran are: 1) Professional capability of contractor project manager, 2) skills of contractor’s project management team, 3) professional capability of owner project manager, 4) professional capability of Consulting Project manager, 5) discipline working, 6) delay payments by the owner, 7) material shortages, 8) delays in delivery of materials, 9) turnover power of the owner, 10) poor site management. Recommendations have been made in the study to address these factors. The research has direct benefits to key stakeholders in Iranian construction industry.

Keywords: Iranian construction projects, labor, productivity, relative importance index

Procedia PDF Downloads 264

Authors: Mosaab A. Omara, Layla O. Elmajdoubb, Mohammad Saleh Al-Aboodyc, Ahmed ElSifyd, Ahmed O. Elkhtamd

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The aim of this study is to present the molecular characterization of cysticercus tenuicolis of Taenia hydatigena from livestock isolates in Egypt, using the amplification of sequencing of the mt-CO1 gene. We introduce a detailed image of the Cysticercus tenuicolis infection in ruminant animals in Upper Egypt. Cysticercus tenuicolis inhabits such organs in ruminants as the omentum, viscera, and liver. In the present study, the infection rate of Cysticercus tenuicolis was found to be 16% and 19% in sheep and goat sample respectively. Firstly we report one larval stage of Taenia hydatigena detected in the camel liver in Egypt. Cysticercus tenuicolis infection manifested a higher prevalence in females than in males. Those above 2 years of age manifested a higher infection rate than younger animals. The preferred site for the infection was the omentum: a 70% preference in sheep and a 68% preference in goat samples. The molecular characterization using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene of isolates from sheep, goats and camels corresponded to T. hydatigena. For this study, molecular characterizations of T. hydatigena were done for the first time in Egypt. Molecular tools are of great assistance in characterizing the Cysticercus tenuicolis parasite especially when the morphological character cannot be detected because the metacestodes are frequently confused with infection by the Hydatid cyst, especially when these occur in the visceral organs. In the present study, Cysticercus tenuicolis manifested high identity in the goat and sheep samples, while differences were found more frequently in the camel samples (10 pairbase). Clearly molecular diagnosis for Cysticercus tenuicolis infection significantly helps to differentiate it from such other metacestodes.

Keywords: cysticercus tenuicolis, its2, genetic, qena, molecular and taenia hydatigena

Procedia PDF Downloads 524

Authors: Issam Jebreen, Eman Al-Qbelat

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Outsourcing software development projects can be challenging, and there are several common challenges that organizations face. A study was conducted with a sample of 46 papers on outsourcing challenges, and the results show that there are several common challenges faced by organizations when outsourcing software development projects. Poor outsourcing relationship was identified as the most significant challenge, with 35% of the papers referencing it. Lack of quality was the second most significant challenge, with 33% of the papers referencing it. Language and cultural differences were the third most significant challenge, with 24% of the papers referencing it. Non-competitive price was another challenge faced by organizations, with 21% of the papers referencing it. Poor coordination and communication were also identified as a challenge, with 21% of the papers referencing it. Opportunistic behavior, lack of contract negotiation, inadequate user involvement, and constraints due to time zone were also challenges faced by organizations. Other challenges faced by organizations included poor project management, lack of technical capabilities, vendor employee high turnover, poor requirement specification, IPR issues, poor management of budget, schedule, and delay, geopolitical and country instability, the difference in development methodologies, failure to manage end-user expectations, and poor monitoring and control. In conclusion, outsourcing software development projects can be challenging, but organizations can mitigate these challenges by selecting the right outsourcing partner, having a well-defined contract and clear communication, having a clear understanding of the requirements, and implementing effective project management practices.

Keywords: software outsourcing, vendor, outsourcing challenges, quality model, continent, country, global outsourcing, IT workforce outsourcing.

Procedia PDF Downloads 89

Authors: B. G. Abiona, A. A. Onaseso, T. D. Odetayo, J. Yila, O. E. Fapojuwo, K. G. Adeosun

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This study determines the perceived effects of work-family balance on employees’ job satisfaction among Extension Agents in the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in southwest Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 256 respondents for the study. Data on personal characteristics, work-family balance domain, and job satisfaction were collected. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), multiple linear regression, and Student T-test. Results revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 40 years; the majority (59.3%) of the respondents were male, and slightly above half (51.6%) of the respondents had MSc as their highest academic qualification. Findings revealed that turnover intention (x ̅ = 3.20) and work-role conflict (x ̅ = 3.06) were the major perceived work-family balance domain in the studied areas. Further, the result showed that the respondents have a high (79%) level of job satisfaction. Multiple linear regression revealed that job involvement (ß=0.167, p<0.01) and work-role conflict (ß= -0.221, p<0.05) contributed significantly to employees’ level of job satisfaction. The results of the Student T-test revealed a significant difference in the perceived work-family balance domain (t = 0.43, p<0.05) between the two studied areas. The study concluded that work-role conflict among employees causes work-family imbalance and, therefore, negatively affects employees’ job satisfaction. The definition of job design among the respondents that will create a balance between work and family is highly recommended.

Keywords: work-life, conflict, job satisfaction, extension agent

Procedia PDF Downloads 95