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The (n-COVID -19) novel coronavirus 2019 has been recognized as a highly pathogenic virus that infects the human respiratory tract and has high morbidity and mortality. The n-COVID -19 is an enormous burden on health-care facilities, causing approximately 2.1% mortality so far. Countries globally are at risk of developing pneumonia due to this novel Corona Virus. The surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases reached over 100 countries with more than 100,000 cases. The disease is fast spread among human, due to the assessment of transmission methods still not clear. Infection prevention control measures are essential in medical institutes. A poor understanding of the disease among academic and non-academic employees may result in delayed treatment and the rapid spread of infection. This study aimed to investigate and assess the level of preparedness, knowledge, and perceptions of the medical institute employees about COVID-19.A cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted among academic and non-academic employees about COVID19 during the period from July to August 2020. The actual preparedness level of medical institutes can be determined by examining academic and non-academic employees' perceptions. A 33-item questioner survey instrument was developed and distributed using employees' email; it required 5 minutes to complete. A questionnaire survey concerning the perceptions of risks and countermeasures and knowledge about novel coronavirus 2019 was distributed at different Medical institutes. A chi-square test was used to investigate the level of association among variables at the significance level of pAll participants completed the survey. Seventy-five valid questionnaire responses were received and analyzed. After adjusting for sex, specialty, Qualification, and years of experience, knowledge of preventive measures (K-scores) in the medical institute, institutional measures (I-scores) were found to be more indicative of the level of preparedness across the institution.As the global danger of COVID-19 continues to emerge, it is critical to improving the knowledge and perceptions of academic and non-academic employees. Educational interventions are urgently needed to reach academic and non-academic employees beyond borders. Substantial differences in emergency infection prevention and control measures, as perceived by academic and non-academic employees exist in a medical institute. Furthermore, to achieve a higher level of preparedness for prevention and mitigation for infectious diseases, Medical institutions should designate and implement effective mitigation guidelines of COVID -19 at Academic Medical institute. more...

Objectives: Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) hybrid systems have the advantage of performing various scans using the same imaging setting. Absorption and scattering of the gamma rays by the patient’s body significantly affect images obtained from scintigraphy, especially in myocardial perfusion imaging. An important parameter for image quality in SPECT is image contrast which is defined as the difference in density between regions of the image corresponding to different levels of radioactive uptake in the patient. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of applying different correction methods on image contrast of myocardial SPECT/CT images. Material and Methods: A total of 114 patients, 43 females and 71 males, patient’s raw data were processed and analyzed using attenuation correction (AC), scatter correction (SC), both attenuation and scatter correction together (ACSC), and no correction (NC). The short axis (coronal) slices resulted from the raw data reconstruction were chosen to perform the processing for hot and cold spheres for contrast values measurement. Statistical analysis was made for the measured contrast values for AC, SC, ACSC, and NC to determine the best image contrast. Results: When applying SC alone, it yields better contrast value (0.834), compared to AC (0.677) and ACSC (0.739). Both ACSC and AC had better image contrast compared to NC (0.592). Conclusion: The intercomparison study between the correction conditions indicates that the counts in SPECT/ CT are highly affected by all correction methods. The image contrast has been significantly improved by using SC, AC, and ACSC when compared with the NC image. Furthermore, SC is superior in the image contrast than the other correction conditions in the reconstruction of SPECT/CT MPI. more...

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) gamma camera has been widely utilized for diagnosis and risk stratification of ischemic heart disease. Objective; The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of different correction methods on image resolution of MPI using the SPECT/CT hybrid system. Materials and Method; A total of 114 patients, 43 females and 71 males, patient’s raw data were processed and analyzed using Attenuation correction (AC), Scatter correction (SC), Both attenuation and scatter correction together (ACSC) and no-correction (NC). The short axis (coronal) slices resulted from the raw data reconstruction were chosen to draw the curve profile to identify the line spread function on the image to create the FWHM curve. Profile statistics were calculated to obtain the value of FWHM. Statistical analysis was made for the calculated FWHM values for AC, SC, ACSC, and NC to determine the best image resolution. Results; It turns out that applying the SC alone yields better FWHM value (8.13), compared to AC (8.77), and ACSC (8.72). Both AC and ACSC had better FWHM compared to NC (8.91). Conclusion; The study indicates that the intercomparison between the four avaliable correction conditions the image resolution has been significantly improved by using scatter correction, attenuation correction, and both methods together when compared with the non-corrected image. Also it was found that the scatter correction condition is superior in the image resolution than the other correction condition in the reconstruction of SPECT/CT myocardial perfusion images. more...

The objectives of the present study are to evaluate guar gum in combination with hydroxyl propyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as compression coat for colonic delivery of prednisolone as well as improving the mechanical properties of the compressed coated tablets. The core tablets containing 5 mg prednisolone were compression coated with 125 mg of coating materials consisted of guar gum alone or mixtures of guar gum in combination with different ratios of HPMC. The compressed coated tablets were evaluated for their mechanical properties, in vitro drug release and in vivo performance in human volunteers. The compressed coated tablets with coats containing HPMC exhibited acceptable mechanical properties. In vitro drug release studies in pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline medium containing 2% (w/v) rat caecal content have shown that increase in concentration of HPMC in the prepared coats from 10% to 20% resulted in an increase in the release rate. However, further increase in HPMC concentration to constitute 30% caused a reduction in the release rate. Based on the drug release results, tablets coated with coat consisted of 80% guar gum and 20% HPMC were selected for in vivo evaluation. In vivo gamma scintigraphic study on human volunteers using technetium-99m-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid as a tracer was performed. The results showed that tablets remained intact in stomach and small intestine, however partial and complete release of the tracer occurred in the colon. In conclusion, guar gum in combination with HPMC would be successfully used as a carrier for drug delivery to the colon. more...

A ccording to Henry Kissinger, "decision-making is an elitist exercise...", but the "acid test of a policy is its ability to obtain domestic support."' Domestic support for or opposition to foreign policy is conveyed through public opinion, mass media and interest groups. It expresses itself in various forms, ranging from letter-writing and editorializing to demonstrations and bomb-throwing. The domestic structures function as important inputs into the making of foreign policy, and define the broad internal limits within which decision-makers feel compelled to operate. A similar outer limit, comprising inputs from the international system, forms a constraint on the decision-makers. more...

Speaking of comparative urbanization, Gideon Sjoberg noted that the Near East, the region in which cities first rose, has been understudied by urban sociologists. Few research projects have been realized on contemporary urbanization in the Arab World. This paper purports to examine recent trends of urbanization in the region; and their inter-relationship with the ‘modernization’ process. more...

The images of America as held by foreigners have been of great interest to social scientists in the last two decades (Buchanan, 1954; Beals, 1954; Washington, 1956; Bell, 1960). Such interest bearing on the cold war and global rivalries needs no elaboration. Of particular importance are images held by elites in developing nations. Their views are crucial in determining the nature and extent of commitments that their countries will make to the Eastern or the Western centers of power. In this article the images of the United States and the Soviet Union as held by Arab students will be analyzed before and after the June War of 1967. The students in question were studying in this country, and over half of them are in graduate schools. The group as a whole has been ideologically oriented and politically active. Like their counterpart in Europe the Arab students in the United States not only have a powerful organization (the OAS with 10,000 members in 130 chapters) but also have been vocal and influential in affecting decision-making in their homelands. Scores of the alumni of the Organization of Arab Students in recent years have occupied strategic positions in their countries ranging from heads of states to cabinet members, from members of revolutionary councils to ambassadors, and from opposition leaders to high bureaucrats. more...

The purpose of this article is to analyze a case of cross-cultural interaction as it bears on attitude formation and attitude change. Three hypotheses on the relationship between interaction, perception, and attitude are tested. Two sets of survey data on the Arab students' experience in the United States were collected before and after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In absence of conflict (before the war) the Arab students' attitudes toward Americans seemed to be a function of (a) the students' perception of Americans' attitude toward the Arabs, and (b) the extent to which the students interact with Americans. Under conditions of crisis or conflict, however, the students' attitudes toward Americans seemed to be mainly a function of how they perceived Americans' attitudes toward the Arabs. more...