QScience Connect - Volume 2015, Issue 1

We report, for the first time, evidence of predation by a shrike (Lanius sp.) on the lizard Mesalina adramitana. This is the first record of predation by shrikes on lizards in Qatar. Whilst we did not directly observe the event, the presence of shrikes in the area and the method of impalement indicate shrikes as the predator. The lizard was found freshly impaled on a palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera), at 150 cm above ground. Bird species of the genus Lanius are well-known predators of lizards, and in arid environments reptiles are likely common prey for these birds. We provide a review of literature concerning predatory events by shrikes on reptiles and amphibians. We suggest inspection of shrubs for animals impaled by shrikes can improve biodiversity inventories, complementing other commonly used methods.

Educational institutions are turning to private cloud computing solutions to lower costs, efficiently deliver educational content and analyze student data, ranging from grades and school activities to behavior, health status, and basic demographic variables. This case study of New York State Education Department's failed adoption of cloud computing for its student data and administrative needs demonstrates the potential benefits of creating detailed longitudinal student databases and large datasets. However, it also highlights several serious concerns about privacy, trust, and security in relation to student personally identifiable information (PII). Opposition from parents and educational and privacy advocacy groups–primarily due to fears of commercialization and ubiquitous, non-transparent, and unregulated sharing of student data–led to the closure of a private, cloud-based longitudinal database built by inBloom; and to new New York state legislation regulating student data. This case study analyzes educational governance in New York State, in particular the notion of flexian relations– the powerful web of actors and networks that influence New York State's technology adoption behavior. Student PII, similar to personal health information (PHI), is a particularly sensitive category of data. Data breach and loss of confidentiality by the private cloud vendors could have caused real, quantifiable harms to students. This study provides valuable lessons learnt about cloud platform adoption, for educational institutions and the cloud computing industry.

Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E. A. Bruce is one of the most useful medicinal plants in many African countries. The root being the part generally used for this purpose. In the context of land degradation and overexploitation of biological resources in many parts of Burkina Faso, a good description of the root system is necessary to better plan for sustainable use and conservation. We aim to answer the following: i) What is the root system architecture of S. latifolius in the Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso? ii) What amount of root biomass is produced by the species? iii) Can we use a semi-destructive method to establish a model for root biomass prediction?

Forty plants were randomly selected and their dendrometric parameters were measured. For each sampled tree, the quarter of the roots were harvested and weighed. Results show the species has a superficial lateral root system. The roots grow towards other species, but do not form anatomical links with roots of other species. An allometric equation for root biomass prediction was developed through a multiple linear model. As a practical use of the present study, we propose, that people using this plant to treat illness should search for roots at approximately 10m between the trunk of mature individuals of S. latifolius and another species, instead of using roots near the trunk. Thus, only the ends of roots would be cut. Using this method could limit tree mortalities due to root harvesting and contribute to the preservation of this important species.

Grape leaves (Vitis vinifera L.) are widely consumed in Palestine, and other Mediterranean countries. Positive health effects of grape products are reported by various studies and pharmaceutical preparations from grape leaves are patented and commercialized as drugs. The aim of this invitro study is to assess the therapeutic potential of leaf extracts; their cytotoxicity against lung cancerous cells, their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against several human pathogenic bacterial strains, and according to geographical location, to examine the overall effect of annual rainfall on the aforementioned activities.

Leaves from Shami and Baituni grapes, collected from Dahria (an arid region) and Beit Omar (a temperate region) in Palestine were ground to powder using liquid nitrogen and a pestle and mortar. Cytotoxicity was measured against lung cancer cells and muscle cells. Antioxidants potential of leaf extracts and antimicrobial activity against five human pathogenic bacterial strains were assessed.

Results showed Shami leaves from Beit Omar inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells. Cytotoxicity assessment against lung cancer cells showed leaves from Baituni grapes are ineffective. Antioxidant capacity of the leaf extracts of both genotypes from both locations gave high levels of antioxidants, but no significant differences recorded between treatments. Leaf extracts of both grape genotypes were effective against S. aureus and slightly effective against P. aeruginosa bacteria. However, these extracts were ineffective against L. monocytogenes,S. typimurium and E.coli.

Results show the therapeutic potential of leaves of Shami and Baituni might be related to their phytochemical composition. Our findings suggest effective cytotoxic activity of Shami grape leaves against lung cancer cells and provide a preliminary view of the effect of annual rainfall on the grape leaves‘ anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

In this paper we have established the simplest equation method to find approximate solutions for total Burgurs equations with time fractional derivative. This method is effective in finding approximate traveling wave solutions of nonlinear, fractional evolution equations (NLEEs) in mathematical physics.

The effectiveness of this manageable method has been shown by applying it to several examples in time fractional Burgers equations. The present approach has the potential to apply to other nonlinear fractional differential equations. All numerical calculations in the present study have been performed on a PC, applying programs written in Mathematica and Maple.

With the rapid development of technology and increasing growth of smartphone users, the use of mobile advertising has become an optimal method for marketing. Advertising companies can use this technology to target a specific audience and to interact with them. Considering consumers have different attitudes toward mobile advertising, this study aims to investigate the psychological factors affecting their intention of accepting such advertisements. Therefore, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is used to investigate the psychological factors affecting the intention of accepting mobile advertising. It is assumed that psychological factors influence the consumers' intention of accepting mobile advertising. Applying available non-probability sampling, 420 questionnaires were distributed in the statistical population (university students who study in Rasht County), in order to evaluate the effective variables in the above-mentioned model. The results of data collected by structural equation modeling (path analysis) indicate that Iranian consumers have a positive attitude toward mobile advertising; moreover, subjective norms and perceived behavior control are other factors affecting the intention of using mobile advertising.

Junctional complexes are specialized contacts between neighboring cells and between cells and the extracellular matrix. They play an important role in embryogenesis, growth and development, as well as being the cause of pathologies. These contacts lead to a number of different interactions that have a profound effect on cellular biology. Cell junctions are best visualized using conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, which reveals the interacting plasma membranes are highly specialized in these regions.

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are proteins responsible for homophillic and heterophillic adhesions. They consist of various groups, including cadherins, selectins and intergrins and they facilitate cell adhesion, cell signaling, and motility. Dysregulation of these molecules can lead to various pathologies, for example mucocutaneous diseases and invasion of cancer. This review focuses on the pathophysiology of cell junctions and related diseases.

The emergency department (ED) is a primary health care unit and one of the main entrances to the hospital system where appropriate, timely and good performance can save lives. Lack of sufficient resources, such as beds and qualified health care professionals, are major stumbling blocks to providing timely and suitable services; but resources availability and moving towards the ideal situation without attention to budget restrictions is neither practical nor achievable. In this study, simulation optimization is used to finding the best configuration in ED resources (e.g., Bed, Nurse, and GP) that affects a patient's length of stay, subject to budget constraints. Simulation is used to analyze the system and estimate target function an optimization model is then solved under different budget constraints. By considering the current budget, the new configuration of 20 inpatient beds, 3 nurses and 1 GP, with 554.4 minutes of a patient's length of stay shows 8.1% length of stay (LOS) improvement. Whilst with a maximum 35.5 budget units allocation of 20 inpatient beds, 4 nurses and 3 GPs a 9.5% decrease in LOS is proposed.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have distinctive characteristics that differentiate them from their larger counterparts. One of these characteristics is marketing; Poor marketing skills in SMEs would lead to low performance and, in extreme cases, failure. Therefore, adopting a marketing strategy based on small business analysis is a fundamental requirement of any successful SME. The term “entrepreneurial marketing” is used to describe the marketing activities conducted by SMEs. The present paper aims to identify the entrepreneurial marketing characteristics of information technology SMEs, based on the classic grounded theory. To achieve this, the sample was selected and deep interviews conducted. The basic model was developed using interviews, findings and analyses. As the secondary objective of the research, interviews with ten SME owner-managers of Denmark, a developed country, was compared with that of the Iranian ICT industry. Based on Glaser's approach (1995a,b), the results and analyses were used to develop an entrepreneurial marketing theory for the information technology industry. Finally, the components of the entrepreneurial marketing model are described.