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This study explores Arab university faculty's views on fully AI-generated assignments and research papers submitted by students, what reasons they give for their stance and how they react in this case. Surveys with a sample of 45 Arab instructors revealed that 98% do not accept AI-generated assignments and research papers from students at all. They gave numerous reasons for their position. If students submit AI-generated assignments or research papers, they would ask them to re-write them. The study recommends raising students' awareness of university policies regarding AI-generated content and introducing faculty and students to AI plagiarism detection tools. Faculty views and recommendations are reported in detail.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the Arab World are still in their infancy. Many Arab countries are now starting to launch their MOOC platforms; however, there are only a few who have actually implemented such systems. This paper will explore online learning, in particular the rise of MOOCs around the world and their impact on the Arab World. The purpose of this paper is to give a true picture of the development of the first MOOC platforms in the Arab World. It will analyse in detail the concept, definitions, background, and types of MOOCs (xMOOCs and cMOOCs), as well as the main MOOCs platform in the Western and Arab worlds, and a timeline of the development of MOOCs. It will then observe the status of MOOCs in the developed world, opportunities in the Middle East, and the influence of Western MOOCs on the Arab world, from many perspectives, e.g. educational, religious, cultural and social.

This study aims to investigate, analyze and conserve the general arrangement plan of the Egyptian royal yacht “Safra El-Bahr” from the National Archives of Egypt’s tracing paper collection. The yacht was specifically designed for Abbas II, the khedive of Egypt in 1894 A.D. The following analytical techniques were used for this study: pH value measurement, fungal testing, XRD, ATR-FTIR and SEM-EDX. Results revealed that the pH value of the plan paper is 6.5. Fungal testing proved the presence of Aspergillus Niger and Penicillium sp. The crystallinity index of cellulose in the historical paper increased compared to modern tracing paper indicating the occurrence of deterioration. The ATR-FTIR spectrum of the studied tracing paper revealed the presence of gelatin as a sizing material. The SEM investigation showed the effect of the natural ageing and surrounding environmental conditions on the surface morphology of the fibers. The EDX analysis revealed the use of kaolinite Al2Si2O3(OH)4, Cl, NaOH and CaCo3 in paper manufacture. Copper carbonate (CuCO3) was used for the blue color. Conservation treatments conducted on the object included cleaning, removal of pressure sensitive tape, removal of adhesive residues, tear mending and lining. These processes revealed the aesthetic value of the general arrangement plan - screw yacht “SAFA-EL-BAHRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper coating plays an important role in the paper properties, printability and application. The nanocoating is a multifunction layer that provides the paper with unique features. In this work, nanocoating formulas were prepared using a green method and component. The nanocoating formulas were based on biopolymers nanostarch NSt and nanochitosan NCh (NCS) decorated with Egyptian kaolinite Ka doped with zinc nanoparticles NCS@xka/ZnONPs (x represents different ratios) support for multifunctional uses. The nanocoating formulas were characterized using a physiochemical analysis as well as a topographical study. FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques were used. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the tested samples was assessed against six microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The prepared nanocoating formulas affirmed excellent antimicrobial activity as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial active agent with excellent activity against all representative microbial communities. The nanocoating with the highest ratio of Ka/ZnONPs (NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs) showed excellent antimicrobial activity with an inhibition percentage of more than 70% versus all microorganisms presented. The paper was coated with the prepared suspensions and characterized concerning optical, mechanical and physical properties. When Ka/ZnONPs were loaded into NCS in a variety of ratios, the characteristics of coated paper were enhanced compared to blank paper. The sample NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs increased tensile strength by 11%, reduced light scattering by 12%, and improved brightness and whiteness by 1%. Paper coated with NCh suspension had 35.32% less roughness and 188.6% less porosity. When coated with the sample NCS@10 ka/ZnONPs, the coated paper's porosity was reduced by 94% and its roughness was reduced by 10.85%. The greatest reduction in water absorptivity was attained by coating with the same sample, with a reduction percentage of 132%., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The degradation and embrittlement of paper is due to the depolymerization of cellulose fibers; this is induced by acidity and oxidation. An important part of dealing with these chemically unstable materials is the neutralization of acid and deposition of a buffer reservoir to protect the fibers from introduction of acid in future. Paper deacidification is a fundamental process for achieving this goal. Any deacidification method chosen must be able to treat large numbers of items, safely, quickly and cheaply. The main goal of this paper was to investigate the effect of two deacidification solutions, which have never been used in Egypt, on the chemical and physical properties of different types of paper in order to find an alternative to Calcium hydroxide the most common deacidification method used in Egypt. Magnesium salts have been chosen to produce two deacidification methods, one of them in aqueous media, and the other in nonaqueous media; however, the magnesium has excellent deacidification properties and never have been applied in Egypt before. This paper is concerned with the Evaluation of Magnesium Bicarbonate (MBC) and Methyl Magnesium Carbonate (MMC), as neutralization agents, on the stability of paper substrate before and after accelerated ageing. Deacidification of acid paper samples (old book and newspaper) coming from wood pulp (20 century) and whatman paper samples, has been carried out with elaborate findings. Examinations and scientific analyses have been used in the assessment of treated samples, to figure out the efficacy of the two methods on the paper stability. Both methods have adequate deacidification properties; the pH value of paper has increased after deacidification. Mechanical testing and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have proven considerable stability of mechanical and chemical properties of deacidified paper after accelerated ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) causes global exhaustion, consumes economic resources, and has several risk factors. The bibliometric studies re-evaluate the research efforts on this illness using mathematical and statistical tools to indicate current research and future trends. This study examines KSA's DM research during 2010-2021. Data were acquired from Scopus and analyzed using VOSviewer and MS Excel. Several characteristics were examined to measure the quantity and quality of KSA-related DM articles. In total, 1,919 journal and conference papers were published. DM research included researchers from multidisciplinary sectors. Thirty-seven percent of them have ten or more scientific publications. Al-Daghri, N.M. (King Saud University) leads the pack. In total, 757 (39.44%) research projects got funding from 159 sources within and outside KSA. Memish, Z.A. is the most cited author. The Saudi Medical Journal has the most citations (1214). Al-Daghri, N.M. (KSU) collaborates the most. One hundred forty-one nations aided KSA's diabetes research. Egypt's High Institute of Public Health has the most scientific collaboration with KSA. Authors' and all Keywords analyses indicated a rich knowledge structure. Diabetes Care Journal has the most cocitations with 2,220 and a total link strength of 19,283, followed by The New England Journal of Medicine. The study results will be helpful to stakeholders to understand better the trends and performance of diabetes-related regional research, which will be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses schemes to make paper out of linen from Egyptian mummies. The author focuses on the history of the idea of mummy paper from a non-American perspective, particularly examining British records and reported ancient uses of mummies by Bedouins. Iraqi Egyptologist Abd al-Latif, British geologist Isaiah Deck, and negotiations between British engineer Thomas Galloway and Egyptian ruler Mehemet Ali are examined. Scholars of the subject mentioned include English professor Joseph Dane and writer Nicholson Baker. The author comments on articles from the London "Times" newspaper, examining both serious proposals and satire on mummy paper.

The main objective of the present study was to improve the quality of pulp and paper industrial wastewater of two local mills RAKTA and El-Ahlia, Alexandria, Egypt, and to bring their pollutant contents to safe discharge levels. Quality improvement was carried out using integrated chemical and biological treatment approaches after their optimization. Chemical treatment (alum, lime, and ferric chloride) was followed by oxidation using hydrogen peroxide and finally biological treatment using activated sludge (90 min for RAKTA and 60 min for El-Ahlia effluents). Chemical coagulation produced low-quality effluents, while pH adjustment during coagulation treatment did not enhance the quality of the effluents. Maximum removal of the tested pollutants was achieved using the integrated treatment and the pollutants recorded residual concentrations (RCs) of 34.67, 17.33, 0.13, and 0.43 mg/l and 15.0, 11.0, 0.0, and 0.13 mg/l for chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), tannin and lignin, and silica in RAKTA and El-Ahlia effluents, respectively, all of which were below their maximum permissible limits (MPLs) for the safe discharge into water courses. Specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) and sludge volume index (SVI) values reflect good conditions and healthy activated sludge. Based on the previous results, optimized conditions were applied as bench scale on the raw effluents of RAKTA and El-Ahlia via the batch chemical and the biological treatment sequences proposed. For RAKTA effluents, the sequence was as follows: (1) coagulation with 375 mg/l FeCl3, (2) oxidation with 50 mg/l hydrogen peroxide, and (3) biological treatment using activated sludge with 2,000 mg/l initial concentration and 90 min hydraulic retention time (HRT), while for El-Ahlia raw effluents, the sequence was (1) coagulation with 250 mg/l FeCl3, (2) oxidation with 45 mg/l hydrogen peroxide, and (3) biological treatment using activated sludge with 2,000 mg/l initial concentration and 60 min HRT. In conclusion, results confirmed that the application of the proposed sequential treatments removed almost all COD, BOD5, high molecular weight compounds, and silica from RAKTA and El-Ahlia influents and produced high-quality effluents, thus achieving the main objective of this study.

Aim: The present study aimed to perform scientometric assessment of global publications' output of research on Nigella sativa during 1989–2018. Materials and Methods: The present study examined 3718 global publications on N. sativa, as indexed and covered in international Scopus database during 1989–2018, with a view to understand their growth rate, global publication share, citation impact, international collaborative papers' share, distribution of publications by broad subjects, productivity and citation profile of top organizations and authors, preferred media of communication, and bibliographic characteristics of highly cited papers. The global publications on N. sativa registered 20.87% annual average growth rate, and its citation impact averaged to 19.08 citations per paper. Results: The global share of top ten countries on N. sativa ranged from 3.15% to 23.91%, with the largest share (23.91%) from India, followed by Iran (9.58%), Egypt (9.06%), the USA (7.15%), etc., Nearly 81.31% and 75.74% of the global publication and citation share came from the top 10 countries during 1989–2018. The cumulative global share of the top 10 countries increased from 70.56% to 82.58% from 1989–2003 to 2004–2018. Five countries registered relative citation index above the world average of 0.93 as follows: Germany (1.86), the USA (1.54), Turkey (1.33), Saudi Arabia (1.16), and Egypt (0.94) during 1989–2018. Pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics contributed the largest global publication share of 33.97%, followed by agricultural and biological sciences (32.92%); medicine (30.10%); biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology (24.74%); chemistry (12.40%); immunology and microbiology (6.97%); environmental science (5.38%); and veterinary science (3.60%) during 1989–2018. A total of 432 organizations and 642 authors participated in the global research on N. sativa during 1989–2018, of which the top 15 most productive research organizations and the authors collectively contributed 23.45% and 6.64% of the global publication share and 21.82% and 8.04% of the global citation share, respectively, during 1989–2018. Among 3655 journal papers (in 364 journals) in global N. sativa research, the top 15 most productive journals together contributed 13.54% of global share of the total journal publication output during 1989–2018. Conclusion: One hundred and twenty-six publications were found to be highly cited, as they registered citations from 100 to 2971 during 1989–2018 and they together received 23,426 citations, averaging to 185.92 citations per paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of various types of radioactive drugs has increased the effectiveness of nuclear medicine. Technetium-99m (99mTc) radiopharmaceuticals are in widespread use owing to the availability and affordability of 99Mo/99mTc generators and the variety of kits for formulating the desired products. Together, they provide an array of specific tools for diagnosing a large number of diseases affecting the Heart, Kidney and major organs of the body such as the bones, brain, liver, parathyroid, and thyroid. Nuclear medicine requires high quality radiopharmaceuticals and kits that are safe for administration and efficacious for a given application. Since radiopharmaceuticals are intended for human use, it is imperative that they undergo quality control measure. This paper presents various parameters affecting labeling efficiency of radiopharmaceuticals and describes the procedures of preparing from four selected kits. Details of the ingredients are also included. The procedures described here can be used to develop manuals and standard operating procedures in Egypt. This study is expected to serve as a guide to radiopharmaceutical manufacturing centers of such kits. Four kits namely: MIBI, DTPA, MDP, and DMSA are used. Paper Chromatography was involved to disparate the polar and non-polar part of the kit-solution. Quality control testing assures purity, integrity, potency, product identity, biological safety and efficacy of radiopharmaceuticals. The success of diagnostic radiopharmaceutical has been reflected in the quality of images of diseased site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IWNW is the property of Ain Shams University, Faculty of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Historical photographs play a significant role as records, documenting the various stages of the history of Egypt and reflecting our identity and social, cultural, and religious values. Silver gelatin prints were the dominant positive printing processes in the 20th century. One of the most common forms of damage found among photographic collections is tears, which may result from improper handling and misuse, inappropriate storage, disasters, and other factors. In the past, tears were mended using pressure-sensitive tapes by amateurs and conservators. Over time, these tapes caused damage to the photographic surfaces since they oxidised, forming stains that are difficult and sometimes impossible to remove. Recently, many gel-based systems have been developed for use in the conservation of different cultural and historical materials, particularly paper artifacts. The aim of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of Klucel G and agar, as gel systems that are favoured by conservation specialists, in removing pressure-sensitive tapes from the surfaces of silver gelatin prints, as well as to study their effect on the photographs themselves. Organic solvents were added to the gel systems, and invaluable old photographs were used for this study. After treatment, samples were subjected to artificial ageing at a temperature of 80°C and 65% RH. Evaluation of the selected treatments was carried out through visual inspection, microscopic examination, colorimetric measurements, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results showed that both gel-based systems with mixed organic solvents gave great results compared to the conventional methods in terms of tape removal. However, colour change was detected in the case of agar gel-treated samples. Agarose gel may be a more proper option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to assess the quality of imported frozen liver sold in Assiut markets, Egypt. A total of 100 samples were randomly collected over a 2 months period (January to March, 2020) from poultry slaughter shops, supermarkets and frozen meat markets. The liver samples were evaluated for chemical indicators of spoilage (pH, TVBN "Total Volatile base nitrogen", and TBA "Thiobarbituric acid") and some of the nutritional aspects (percentage of moisture, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrates, as well as, gross energy (Kcal/100g) and cholesterol content (mg/100g), beside levels of iron (mg/100g). The obtained mean values of pH, TVBN (mg/100 g) and TBA (mg/kg) of the examined samples were 6.38 ± 0.01, 25.76 ± 0.44, and 0.65 ± 0.03, respectively. Of the examined samples, 92 % showed pH value exceeded the permissible limits of Egyptian standards; however, 88 % showed TVBN content within the set limit. The mean values of moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrates (%) were 70.54 ± 0.11, 21.64 ± 0.08, 3.58± 0.12, 1.50 ± 0.018, and 2.74 ± 0.11, respectively. The calculated gross energy mean value was of 133.09 ± 1.06 Kcal/100 g. Additionally, the cholesterol and iron content mean values were 130.85 ± 2.17 mg/100 g and 16.07 ± 0.24 mg/100 g, respectively in the examined imported frozen liver samples. In conclusion, imported frozen liver sold in markets of Assiut city Egypt is of fair quality; it should be consumed sporadically and with care of TBARS, cholesterol and iron potential hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Friction foot blisters are a common injury occurring in up to 39% of marathoners, the most common injury in adventure racing, and represent more than 70% of medical visits in multi-stage ultramarathons. The goal of the study was to determine whether paper tape could prevent foot blisters in ultramarathon runners., Methods: This prospective randomized trial was undertaken during RacingThePlanet 155-mile (250-km), 7-day self-supported ultramarathons in China, Australia, Egypt, Chile, and Nepal in 2010 and 2011. Paper tape was applied prerace to one randomly selected foot, with the untreated foot acting as the own control. The study end point was development of a hot spot or blister on any location of either foot., Results: One hundred thirty-six participants were enrolled with 90 (66%) having completed data for analysis. There were 36% women, with a mean age of 40 ± 9.4 years (range, 25-40 years) and pack weight of 11 ± 1.8 kg (range, 8-16 kg). All participants developed blisters, with 89% occurring by day 2 and 59% located on the toes. No protective effect was observed by the intervention (47 versus 35; 52% versus 39%; P = .22), with fewer blisters occurring around the tape on the experimental foot than under the tape (23 vs 31; 25.6% versus 34.4%), yet 84% of study participants when queried would choose paper tape for blister prevention in the future., Conclusions: Although paper tape was not found to be significantly protective against blisters, the intervention was well tolerated with high user satisfaction., (Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent times, elevated urban linkages (EULs) have emerged as crucial components of urban development, cutting through the cities' urban fabric to accommodate the rapid expansion of urban cores and to facilitate traffic flow. However, these massive infrastructures have inadvertently given rise to urban lost spaces—vacant, inefficient areas within the urban fabric. Recognizing these lost spaces as untapped public assets, the paper explores sustainable development strategies to reclaim them into the urban fabric, transforming them into vibrant, multi-functional public spaces. The paper aims to achieve a set of urban design guidelines for rehabilitation design interventions which will be deduced into a comprehensive framework. This framework encompasses criteria for selecting appropriate approaches and types of rehabilitation design interventions, as well as design principles ensuring the desirability of the reclaimed space. The paper applies this framework to assess the El Sawy Cultural Wheel in Egypt, revealing it as a successful example of a reclaimed space. While positive aspects of rehabilitation design interventions are evident in terms of the approach and type of intervention in this case study, there are identified areas with shortcomings in fully implementing the design principles, if enhanced, could elevate the overall quality of the reclaimed space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albumen prints are the most important photographic prints of the late 19th century. It is basically composed of two layers: the first layer is the paper support (i.e. cellulose), and the second layer is the image layer (i.e. image silver particles embedded in an albumen binder layer). There are several factors threatening the permanence of albumen prints (e.g., fluctuating temperatures and relative humidity, frequent handling, air pollution, light, and improper storage and display). Unlike other paper objects, photographs have special conservation requirements due to their complex and unique nature. A private collection was selected for this study. The collection consists of three albumen prints from Francis Amen's photo collection, which originally belonged to the Elhagar family. Francis Amin is a well-known photo collector in Egypt. The prints date back to 1890. The photographs were characterised and studied by visual inspection, digital microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Microbiological studies were carried out in the microbiology laboratory at the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University. Results revealed that the albumen layer suffers from cracks and chemical degradation, and the secondary supports suffer from both oxidation and hydrolysis. Based on the obtained results, the following conservation procedures were selected and carried out: disinfection, dry cleaning, tear mending and compensating for losses, remounting, retouching, and rehousing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of the Nag Hammadi Codices (NHC) in 1945 rates as one of the two most profound occurrences for Biblical archaeology and interpretation during the last hundred years, along with the Dead Sea Scrolls (1946–1956). The codices allow us to document Christian monastic culture, gnostic Christianity and gnostic offshoots in the desert climate of Late Ancient Egypt. The recovery of the related Codex Tchacos (CT) brought further excitement for contemporary readers by 2006, it being sensational that narratives of "Judas the betrayer" and "doubting Thomas" were found in the whole collection of writings. The text named the [First] Apocalypse of James, significantly, was found to be in both NHC and CT in different Coptic versions (from near the sacred sites of Chenoboskion and El Minya), but yet another more fragmentary version in Greek had turned up much earlier among the huge cache of papyri found at Oxyrhynchus (also, like the other places, on the banks of the Nile). Given the opportunity for comparison, what distinguishes the three versions? Does comparative analysis better tell us what this ancient text is about? Does the strong presence of Gnostic Christian insights in the Coptic texts still imply a historical Jamesian community is being honoured? This paper concentrates on three comparable passages in the three versions that apparently contain historical memories of James and his followers. It works on the reasonable hypothesis that the Greek version of Oxyrhynchus Papyri (P.Oxy. 5533) (hereafter = PO) is prior and read with different purposes than the two Coptic translated versions of CT (CT 2.10–30) and NHC (NHC V,3. 24–44). When a critical approach, involving a socio-linguistic comparison, is applied, we will see that the three versions of the text were not directly related to each other, but that narratives about James the Just were available to desert monastics from the second century CE. The paper argues for a literal transmission of traditions from a Jewish Christian community around James into Egypt, that the textual figure of James in the Oxyrhynchus fragments points to a 'mutual familiarity' between PO and CT, while the NHC tradition of James has been further elaborated by processes of compilation and addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Case reports are fundamental to clinical medicine that trace back to ancient Egypt preceding Hippocrates in the history of medicine. Case reports contribute to academic development and new clinical research. However, among cases presented at an annual academic conference for Japanese generalists, only a few cases were later published in peer-reviewed journals, highlighting potential barriers regarding the writing of case reports, such as mentorship absence. This paper aimed to offer guidance and strategies to novice and young general physicians in overcoming barriers and effectively composing case reports for international peer-reviewed journals. Methods: This paper focuses on case reports for general physicians with extensive experience in writing case reports for international peer-reviewed journals. We conducted a narrative review to help beginners and young general physicians in writing case reports and discussed strategies for overcoming these barriers. Results: We propose the following three tips as important processes for writing case reports: recognize the types of suitable cases for case reports; select a journal for submission using a list of candidate journals for general physicians; and organize the discussion section with one theme per paragraph. In addition, we provide a list of journals that specifically focus on case reports, along with important pointers for beginners and young general physicians that will assist authors in the field of general medicine in choosing appropriate journals for submission. Conclusion: We hope that understanding and applying these tips will aid beginners and young general physicians in writing case reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility inequality in the Greater Cairo Region (GCR) affects disadvantaged groups of women, children and adolescents, elderly people, and persons with disabilities. These groups require inclusive mobility arrangements or protection on the streets. The research aims to explore the existing mobility inequality in GCR, through reviewing the trips of an introductory sample of disadvantaged groups and their transport choice. The paper reviews the concepts of mobility inequality, disadvantaged groups, and the United Nations standards of adequate urban mobility, which are utilized as a guide for the empirical study. The primary data collection applied two qualitative research methods, which are semi-structured interviews, and on-site trips/investigations of the urban mobility in GCR. Additionally, general figures on the target groups in GCR and Egypt are deployed as the secondary data. Subsequently, the research demonstrates a sample of the existing experiences of mobility inequality, local context realities, and consequential life compromises in GCR. The paper then aligns the priorities of the interviewed sample with their transport choices, which is the focus of the study. The investigated sample demonstrated high interest in car ownership, only to avoid challenges they encounter via walking and public transport, including issues like harassment and the inadequate, unsafe urban mobility experience. Finally, the paper suggests two sets of recommendations, the first set addresses the mobility inequality and proposed solutions as per the investigated sample. The second set incepts further research on mobility inequality, towards integrating the needs of the disadvantaged groups in GCR within the planning and delivering of urban mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Egypt access of the entire population to health care services and medications is still a challenging step, with high out of pocket expenditure that reaches 60%. A lot of medications and diagnostic services are still not publicly covered like biological, targeted therapies and many biomarkers tests, and although the government initiated a co-payment program, there is a still a gap in providing eligible patients with full course of therapy. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Through addressing female academics in four public universities in Egypt, the author of this paper aims to answer the question: How do female academics cope with the career shock resulting from the spread of COVID-19? Design/methodology/approach: The author used a qualitative research method through semi-structured interviews with 32 female academics from four public universities selected from among 26 public institutions of higher education in Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the transcripts. Findings: The findings assert that the following three strategies: heroism, cronyism and temporalism are used by female academics in the Egyptian context to cope with the career shocks they feel during the time of COVID-19. The findings assert that female academics try to reassert their professionalism in their academic duties and familial obligations even after the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, they tend to use forms of cronyism behaviour to alleviate the effect of the career shock, mostly via hypocritical phrases. Furthermore, the thought that COVID-19 is a temporary stage helps female academics to actively accept their challenging new work conditions. Originality/value: This paper contributes by filling a gap in human resources management and higher education in which empirical studies on the career shock of female academics have been limited so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a pioneering study that undertakes a comparative analysis assessing the annual intermediation efficiency of public versus private banks in Egypt. Moreover, liquidity risk is a major threat facing banks in their efforts to sustain financial stability. Thus, this study is the first to model the determinants of liquidity risk in public and private banks in Egypt while examining the impact of banks' intermediation efficiencies on their liquidity risk levels. The study employs advanced nonparametric econometric approaches on a sample of Egyptian public and private banks from 2014 to 2022. The data envelopment analysis is used in estimating banks' intermediation efficiency scores, while the quantile regression analysis is applied to examine the impact of bank intermediation efficiency on liquidity risk under different liquidity risk quantiles. The findings indicate that public banks show consistent superiority in terms of their financial intermediation efficiency levels compared to private banks. Moreover, the paper findings demonstrate the negative significant relationship between bank intermediation efficiency and liquidity risk while highlighting the higher significant positive impact of intermediation efficiency on reducing the liquidity risk of banks that are characterized by undertaking high liquidity risk levels. Furthermore, contrary to general assumptions, this study's findings demonstrate that the significance of micro- and macro-level determinants of a bank's liquidity risk is dependent on its prevailing liquidity risk level. Hence, the positive impact of equity capital, asset concentration, size, and growth in gross domestic product and the negative effect of asset quality on bank liquidity risk vary under banks' different liquidity risk quantiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study represents both a case study about microbial degradation by microorganisms that can cause damage to old manuscripts as well as health threats to the librarians. Most of the microbiological damage started in poor environmental conditions of storage and display. The study aims to characterize the microbes that cause microbial deterioration of the historical books. Microbial swabs were taken from the manuscript under study, and the isolated organisms were identified using the sequencing of rRNA of the ITS region of the rDNA gene at Solgent company, South Korea. The results showed three bacterial species: Micrococcus luteus (MH450098), Microbacterium schleiferi (NR044936T) and Bacillus subtilis (NR1126 29T), as well as: two fungal species Aspergillus ustus (NR134245T) and Aspergillus chevalieri (NR135340T). The genus Aspergillus ustus was the dominant genus isolates. It was followed by Aspergillus chevalieri. The biological activities of the isolated microorganisms were studied and showed the highest activities cellulolytic and proteolytic activities observed by Aspergillus chevalieri. Modern devices were used to study the infected and the uninfected parts of the same manuscript by taking some of the falling pieces from the manuscript, such as (light microscopes, SEM with EDXS, and FTIR). Surface observation obtained by light microscopy showed microbial infiltration on infected paper, significant changes detected by SEM in some elements decreased the percentage, and the other element percentage increased. Moreover the other elements disappeared. The chemical changes inside the paper structure resulted from the degradation of large organic compounds (chemical functional groups) by the action of extra-cellular enzymes secreted by deteriorating fungal species, converting these compounds into smaller ones using the FTIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a digital model of decentralized Load Frequency Control (LFC) using an optimal PID controller-based Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) in Egyptian Power System (EPS) considering communication delays. The EPS includes both conventional generation units (i.e., non-reheat, reheat, and hydraulic power plants) with inherent non-linearities and wind power, which extracted from Zafarana wind farm, location in Egypt. Thus, the optimal digital controller-based Tustin's technique is designed for every subsystem of the EPS separately to guarantee the stability of the overall closed-loop system. The performance of the proposed digital model is tested and compared with the analog model under variation in loading patterns, loading conditions, system parameters, wind farm penetration, and communication delays. Results approved that, the proposed digital model can effectively regulate the system frequency and guarantee robust performance under different conditions. Also, it gives a reliable performance at large sampling times, which means a reduction of implementation cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms pose significant threats to public health globally. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has further complicated the treatment of these infections, necessitating the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. Among these strategies, the use of hydrogels as delivery systems for delivering antimicrobial agents has gained considerable attention. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the utilization of Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) hydrogel for delivering antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study is to explore the current research landscape, identify key trends, influential authors, and prominent journals in this field. The analysis is based on a systematic search conducted using the Scopus database. The analysis covered publication trends, geographic distribution, influential authors, and key journals in the field of PF-127 hydrogel-based antimicrobial agent delivery. The results revealed the growing interest in this field, with a focus on countries such as India, the United States, and Egypt. The analysis also identified top authors, institutions, and journals contributing to the research. The findings reveal the growth of research in this area, highlighting the potential of PF-127 hydrogel as a promising vehicle for antimicrobial agent delivery. It highlights the need for further research to optimize formulation parameters, explore combination therapies, conduct in vivo studies, and promote collaboration to maximize the therapeutic potential of PF-127 hydrogel-based delivery systems in combating infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. This paper provides valuable insights into the existing literature and serves as a reference for future research and development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnection between the consequences of digital technologies and their impact on triple bottom line sustainability in the banking industry has emerged as a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and eclectic research area of global significance. Nevertheless, applying a systematic literature network analysis in this field has not yet been attempted. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate academic research by integrating different knowledge systems. To conduct this comprehensive analysis, this study employed the contextualized systematic literature review and bibliometric approaches method to make inferences from 154 publications obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases for the years 2012–2024 by using the biblioshiny tool. The study's findings exhibited a noticeable upsurge in research trends in the last five years. With 64 publications, 2023 was the most productive year, and 2018 had the most influence with 188 citations. China, Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Malaysia were the most productive countries regarding citation performance. This study highlights the counterintuitive connection between digitalization, financial inclusion, sustainability, fintech, and sustainable development by providing support with recent literature to reflect the current developments in the field. The themes encountered here are crucial for regulators and practitioners who aim to capitalize on the mutually reinforcing nature of the two phenomena in the banking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research paper is to investigate the association between internal Corporate Governance (CG) mechanisms and stock price volatility in Egypt as an emerging market. The paper investigates the impact of ownership structure and board structure as internal CG mechanisms on stock price volatility. Data are analyzed using a two-way fixed effects model, a one-step dynamic panel data model, and a panel weighted least squares model. The study concluded that ownership concentration has a negative influence on volatility. Interestingly, an inverted U-shaped relationship between the percentage of ownership by the greatest shareholder and volatility is evidenced. Managerial ownership also showed a negative influence on volatility. As for board structure mechanisms, the findings show that both board size and frequency of board meetings negatively influence volatility, whereas board independence has a positive impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, claiming nearly 10 million lives in 2020 according to the World Health Organization. In the quest for novel treatments, fungi, especially Aspergillus species, have emerged as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with promising anticancer properties. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape of Aspergillus in oncology, examining publications from 1982 to the present. We observed a marked increase in research activity starting in 2000, with a notable peak from 2005 onwards. The analysis identifies key contributors, including Mohamed GG, who has authored 15 papers with 322 citations, and El-Sayed Asa, with 14 papers and 264 citations. Leading countries in this research field include India, Egypt, and China, with King Saud University and Cairo University as the leading institutions. Prominent research themes identified are "endophyte," "green synthesis," "antimicrobial," "anti-cancer," and "biological activities," indicating a shift towards environmentally sustainable drug development. Our findings highlight the considerable potential of Aspergillus for developing new anticancer therapies and underscore the necessity for further research to harness these natural compounds for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global community strives to address the pressing challenges of environmental degradation and social inequality, the role of architecture in promoting sustainable development has gained unprecedented significance. This paper explores the intrinsic connection between architecture and sustainable development, focusing on Egypt as a case study. The research follows theoretical and practical application methodology, where case studies and solutions are applied. Egypt, with its rich historical heritage and rapidly urbanizing cities, presents a unique context to investigate how the built environment can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations. This study adopts a multidisciplinary approach, integrating architectural analysis, urban planning principles, environmental science, and social studies to examine the various ways in which architecture influences and interacts with sustainability goals. Case Studies include two locations in Egypt as future concepts to solve problems: Downtown Cairo and Nubia-Aswan, where ideas were introduced towards a better quality of life. The findings of this research underscore the importance of collaboration between various stakeholders, such as government bodies, non-governmental organizations, architects, and the public, to create a holistic approach to sustainable architectural design and urban planning towards resilient communities. The paper also emphasizes the need for education and awareness campaigns to foster a culture of sustainability within the architectural and construction sectors. Proposed projects were introduced in the International Union of Architects (UIA) World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen 2023 and published in UIA Guidebook 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia possess diverse natural resources and a substantial labor force that permit forming a successful trade integration. However, the recent dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project between Ethiopia and downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, has weakened the bilateral relations and disrupted trade flows among the three countries. This paper investigates the pattern of trilateral trade between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia during the period between 1995 and 2018. The study also examines the prospects and challenges for establishing a trilateral trade integration between the three countries. The study adopted the gravity model approach, along with the export diversification and trade complementarity indices, in order to scrutinize the pattern and structure of trade between the countries under study. The analysis indicated that Egypt is the most diversified economy with many crucial comparative advantages, which may grant it a leader position in the integration. Moreover, the paper revealed many challenges that may hinder the implementation of trilateral trade integration including, export concentration, poor infrastructure and disputes over water resources. Finally, the paper recommends that facilitating bilateral trade among the riparian countries of Eastern Nile Basin would mitigate the complex clashes over water rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decent Life is a presidential initiative that was launched in Egypt in the year 2019. The initiative targets complex problems facing underprivileged villages in Egypt. This paper uses a systems thinking approach to gain a holistic view of the initiative dimensions and address the interlinkages between these dimensions from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper used a causal loop diagram (CLD) as a visualization of the systems thinking approach to analyze the interactions and interlinkage between all the components of the system. The Decent Life Initiative works on improving economic, social, and environmental infrastructures, which are related to SDGs. To achieve the initiative's goals effectively, this paper suggests working under the umbrella of three important factors: Raising awareness, adopting technology, and putting in place supportive policies and legislations. Finally, the paper suggests using system dynamics as a quantitative method, which uses stock-flow diagrams, to measure the impacts of the initiative on the achievement of the SDGs in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Medical students are the bright future researchers and giving priority to their early research experiences will have its remarkable effect on research evolution. Recent advances in medical fields are challenging and increase the importance of attracting new researchers. This study describes knowledge, attitude, practice, and barriers to participation in research among undergraduate medical students. Methods: This is a cross-section study on 260 medical students. Data collected included: knowledge about research (nine multiple questions); attitude towards medical research (eight questions); practice of research (five questions) and barriers against participation in research (nine questions). Results: Some aspects of research knowledge were affected by students' sex, previous year grade, academic phase, and premedical school type. About 44.6% gave right answers about parts of scientific papers. Academic phase medical students had better research knowledge than clinical phase students. More than 80% of study participants agree on the importance of being oriented about clinical research methodology. Lack of time was the most addressed barrier against participation in research projects by the students (50.5% of clinical phase students). Conclusions: Students' research knowledge needs improvement. Creating customized curricula will lead to increased involvement and significant contributions from medical students in the field of research. Barriers addressed can be targeted to uplift students' contributions to research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper analyses the establishment and evolution of a public oversight body (POB) – the Egyptian Audit Oversight Unit (AOU) – and its implications for local auditing firms and practices. Design/methodology/approach: Primary data were gathered from 34 semi-structured interviews (including follow-up ones) between 2014 and 2020. Secondary data was obtained through publicly available documents and internal memos. Drawing on Debord's (1967) Society of the Spectacle, the insights focus on the POB's conception, materialisation and evolution in a context characterised by weak regulatory structures. Findings: Through a series of acts, the findings reveal how the AOU first accepted the image of "international best practice" oversight (the "metaphorical"), followed by the construction of the local structure and décor replicating a United States (US) style POB archetype (the "transformational") by primarily relying on visible processes/procedures. Yet, these mechanisms emphasised the spectacular nature of oversight, with little improvement for practice and limiting itself to "cracking down" on smaller local firms. A final stage (the "performative") reveals how the AOU seeks to expand its activities beyond its original mandate without challenging the image-driven nature of its oversight. Originality/value: The paper offers two key contributions. First, it reveals how actors, through a combination of symbolic and tangible measures, create a new performative reality of public oversight. Second, it advocates Debord's "spectacle" to complement other theoretical lenses, with a view to illuminating the materialisation stages that bridge the gap between proclaimed oversight policies and actual practices (including conscious and unconscious omissions) within a given political economy context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]