Rapid detection and E-test antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from seafood and environmental sources in Malaysia.

Objectives: To find out the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods and environmental sources. Methods: The study was carried out at the Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research, University Putra Malaysia; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Medical Molecular Biology Institute; and University Kebansaan Malaysia Hospital, Malaysia between January 2006 and August 2008. One hundred and forty-four isolates from 400 samples of seafood (122 isolates) and seawater sources (22 isolates) were investigated for the presence of thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh+) and TDH-related hemolysin (trh+) genes using the standard methods. The E-test method was used to test the antimicrobial susceptibility. Results: The study indicates low occurrence of tdh+ (0.69%) and trh+ isolates (8.3%). None of the isolates tested posses both virulence genes. High sensitivity was observed against tetracycline (98%). The mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates toward ampicillin increased from 4 ug/ml in 2004 to 24 ug/ml in 2007. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates a low occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the marine environment and seafood. Nonetheless, the potential risk of vibrio infection due to consumption of Vibrio parahaemolyticus contaminated seafood in Malaysia should not be neglected

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in a patient with rothmund-thomson syndrome (Recq4 Mutation) - intolerance to radiotherapy

We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue in a 27 years old patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS). An abnormal DNA repair mechanism in some RTS patients predispose them to malignancy and influence the tolerance to radiotherapy

The role of transportation networks in the development and integeration of the seven emirates forming the United Arab Emirates, with special reference to Dubai.

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX176082 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Performing the Egyptian revolution : origins of collective restraint action in the Midan

This research was supported by a Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland grant.In January/February 2011, the world watched with admiration the Egyptian revolution that toppled President Housni Mubarak. The demonstration in Midan al-Tahrir (Liberation Square in central Cairo), which was the nucleus of the revolution, highlighted a largely spontaneous, civil and peaceful political performance. However, this performance was temporary, contradicting subsequent bloody conflicts in post-revolutionary Egypt. This article examines the socio-political origins of the Midan performance. It argues that the demonstrators exercised collective restraint, which was temporary but necessary, in order to topple Mubarak. Building on Norbert Elias’ civilising process theory and social movements literature, it is argued that the origins of this performance are found in a collective knowledge of regime strategy and narrative, Egyptian socio-political values and existing repertoires of contention. Drawing on primary sources and semi-structured interviews, the article contends that the demonstrators exercised collective restraint to reframe regime narrative and draw public support for the revolution.PostprintPeer reviewe

Comparing Sustainability Practices of Large US Corporations: Domestic vs. International Operations

Large US corporations are leading the way in reshaping business practices despite the absence of a national consensus regarding sustainability policies. This study highlights the commitment of some large US corporations to environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria and their widely employed sustainability practices compared with other global corporations. A survey of Fortune 500 corporations was conducted to identify their commitment to the nine major sustainability practices across domestic and international operations. Our findings indicate that several of the surveyed corporations exhibited significant adoption of these practices both domestically and internationally. Both hypotheses were rejected in favor of alternate hypotheses

The Shakespearean Poetic Rosary: The ‘Sacred Numbers’ in Shakespeare’s Sonnets

In human culture there are certain numbers of special importance. They are mostly used in old and modern writings as “sacred numbers” of religious and literary significance. They are present in the Greek myths, in Egyptian Pharaonic culture, in ancient Persian, in the Indian culture, and in Arab traditions; then (Islamic) culture as well as in the Biblical Western culture. These numbers are of two kinds: even and uneven or odd. The odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7and 9 play a far more important part than the even numbers. One is Deity, three the Trinity, five the chief division, seven is the sacred number, and nine is three times three. These numbers have good function and been looked at as ‘Sacred’ or ‘Perfect’ numbers either of good omen or evil. There is another forth number, which is “10”, it comes mainly in Jewish and Islamic education in very few cases having similar religious suggestion. Shakespeare has used the number Ten in Sonnet 6 Then let not winter's ragged hand deface. “Sacred Numbers” have become a part of religion and even of modern belief, and mostly represented in the popular rituals. Shakespeare has used the “Sacred Numbers” in his works either prose or poetry, and this article is restricted to deal only with three Shakespearean sonnets where I imagine Shakespeare reciting his Latin Rosary in a poetic religious tone and drawing the cross sign on his chest and on the forehead of his sonnets in order to invoke divine protection. It seems that Shakespeare’s date of birth and death (1564 -1616) carries a certain secret of his fondness for sacred numbers; thus: The sum of the date of his birth (1564=16) is doubled in the date of his death (1616)

Association of ABO blood groups with diabetes mellitus

Objective: So far no studies have been performed in Malaysia to look at association of diabetes mellitus (DM) with blood groups. We studied the association of ABO blood groups with DM type 2. Patients and methodology: It was a case control study conducted at Kepala Batas Hospital Batas, Penang, Malaysia in the year 2009, involving 70 patients with DM type 2 and 140 healthy controls. Ethical approval was obtained from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Blood samples were collected from the patients after consent. Samples were tested for ABO blood groups using ID-Card gel method. Results: Chi-square test results showed that there was an association between the ABO blood groups and DM type 2. It was found that A and O blood groups were negatively associated with DM type 2 (P<0.05) with higher percentage of A and O groups individuals were non-diabetic. No significant association was noted between DM type 2 and blood groups B (P=0.423) and AB (P=0.095). It was also noted that B blood group was distributed with highest percentage among patients with DM type 2 (53.71%) compared to controls (22.52%), but no statistical significance achieved. Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that there was a negative association between ABO blood groups A and O with DM type 2, with A and O group having less chances of diabetes. Large studies in other ethnic groups are needed to confirm these results.Keywords: blood group A; blood group O; diabetes mellitu

Mathematical Problem Solving Strategies in Plain English

The mathematics word problem solving in EFL setting of Jordanian undergraduates were investigated through Polya’s (1957) adopted test as accompanied by self-report open questions procedures. In this study, mathematical problems content is used to assess their language and learning strategies. The results indicated that participating undergraduates were identified either as low problem solvers as well as limited English language proficiency students. Key words:problem solving strategies, EFL, math, Jordanian undergraduates

An Investigation of the Impact of Social Media on Construction Project Management

One of the most important aspects of managing a project is communication. Although this issue has been widely covered in management, a lack of attention has been given in the project management, slight is known as the impact of social media tools on construction project management. The main purpose of the present study is to explore the potential of social media for the construction of the project management and to understand some of the difficulties that arise from social media implementation. For this purpose a 12 question and 20-item questionnaire has been employed and distributed as a soft copy questionnaires among the sample of 400 engineers who work in the construction field, either in the private sector including contracting and consulting companies (grade one and two) or in the public sector in Jordan. The number of participants who said that they apply social media tools in their projects was 357, while 43 participants, were eliminated as they do not apply social media tools in their work. The collected data from 375 participants were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicated that there is a positive impact of social media on project management and project team in construction projects especially in reducing time. Coringly, the study revealed the existing difficulties that arise from social media use in projects. The study also has concluded that using social media in the project is highly important to organize the management project recently. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091644 Full Text: PD

Place Energy in Urban Drama Scene (River Transport in Shatt al-Arab)

The city of Basra is one of the most important cities in Iraq and most of the possessions of the potential, making it the most appropriate option for the subject of research, which depends on the energy of the place as a basis for him. The Shatt Al Arab was chosen for the river represents the spiritual and material value of the population of the city but for Iraq as a whole in terms of social, This river consists of the confluence of the Tigris and the Euphrates and is an important and vital gateway to the Arabian Gulf, so the discussion deal with the relationship between place energy and dramatic situation through the presentation of the research problem, namely: (There is no clear perception of the dramatic situation of the urban scene of Shatt al-Arab and resolve the research problem has been selected research hypothesis, which states: (The construction of the dramatic situation of the urban scene of Shatt al-Arab is based on activating the concept of place energy, the Research objective (constructing the dramatic situation of the urban scene of Shatt al-Arab by activating the concept of place energy using the possibility of river transport). As determined pursuant to the theoretical framework of the research problem and hypothesis, as theoretical part discusses the definition of place (place theory and place energy), river and river transport, urban scene drama(dramatic situation and perception). The research gives number of conclusions and final recommendations the most important conclusions(There is awareness of the energies of place and material potential, but there is a neglect of the spiritual side, which is an important andvital aspect in the process of building the dramatic situation), one of the main recommendations of the research(Adopting a mechanism to study and activate river transport in the Shatt al-Arab so that people can understand the urban scene of the Shatt al-Arab and thus create memories associated with the place for the purpose of building its own dramatic situation)