Search results

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of environmental pH on production of biofilms and virulence genes expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Among 303 clinical and environmental samples 109 (61 + 48) isolates were identified as clinical and environmental P. aeruginosa isolates, respectively. Clinical samples were obtained from patients in the Al-Yarmouk hospital in Baghdad city, Iraq. Waste water from Al-Yarmouk hospital was used from site before treatment unit to collect environmental samples. The ability of producing biofilm at various pH levels was examined by microtiter plate and the prevalence of Alg D, Psl A and Pel A was determined by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

This study showed that the ability of clinical and environmental isolates to biofilm development was observed in 86.9% and 85.42% of clinical and environmental isolates, respectively. As well as, the environmental P. aeruginosa isolates showed the highest biofilm production at pH 7. Clinical isolates showed the highest genes expression of Alg D, Psl A and Pel A as compared to environmental isolates with pH change. In general, both clinical and environmental isolates formed biofilm and carried AlgD, PslA and PelA genes. Also, alkaline pH was favored for biofilm production.

There are very few studies done to find out the influence of environmental pH on production of biofilms and virulence genes expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study is unique as it has highlighted the influence of environmental pH on the ability of clinical and environmental isolates to biofilm development and genes expression.

This study explored the antecedent and consequent relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) competency, sustainability tourism marketing and brand equity in rural community-based homestays in Malaysia. This study also examined how the political support by local authorities benefitted this sustainable rural tourism product development.

Homestays operators from three states in Malaysia–Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, Pahang and Pulau Pinang–participated in the study. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect responses and to test research hypotheses.

The study's model empirically demonstrated ICT competency, sustainability tourism marketing practices and political support by local authorities' construct which are essential explanatory variables of homestay brand equity. The model shows high levels of consistency between the theoretical design and the empirical results of its constructs, contributing as a new step in the tourism sustainability literature.

This study enables us to explain the “triple bottom line” theory when applied in combination with ICT competency, brand equity and newly introduced construct “political support by local authorities”.

The study results in evidence of crucial implications for policymakers. Policymakers should enhance cost-effectiveness, policy integration (integration of economic, environmental and social goals), and transparency and accountability to achieve United Nations' and Malaysia's sustainable tourism goals.

This study is an early attempt to highlight the importance of sustainable tourism marketing and brand equity in rural community-based homestays in Malaysia. This study also emphasizes that the local political authorities are the most crucial rural tourism stakeholders, and they play a key role in sustainable rural tourism transformation.

A personal injury claim for compensation is one of the most common kinds of litigation in Hong Kong. In recent years, a number of cases have emerged which involve accidents resulting from mismanagement of buildings and, in particular, in which the unit owners within the buildings were held liable to pay a portion of the damages. The relevant court cases, relating to domestic property, are researched, to find out the amounts of damages awarded, the effects of the compensations on individual unit owners in the relevant buildings and on their return on investment and the factors that may affect the investment. This kind of litigation is likely to grow, owing to the increase in the proportion of old buildings as a result of the downturn in the local property development market. The research results are likely to be of use to other common law countries where multi‐storey buildings are the major form of property for property investment.

This paper aims to make it convenient for those who have only just begun their research into Community Question Answering (CQA) expert recommendation, and for those who are already concerned with this issue, to ease the extension of our understanding with future research.

In this paper, keywords such as “CQA”, “Social Question Answering”, “expert recommendation”, “question routing” and “expert finding” are used to search major digital libraries. The final sample includes a list of 83 relevant articles authored in academia as well as industry that have been published from January 1, 2008 to March 1, 2019.

This study proposes a comprehensive framework to categorize extant studies into three broad areas of CQA expert recommendation research: understanding profile modeling, recommendation approaches and recommendation system impacts.

This paper focuses on discussing and sorting out the key research issues from these three research genres. Finally, it was found that conflicting and contradictory research results and research gaps in the existing research, and then put forward the urgent research topics.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of GLIFOS Social Media Manager in the “Capturing our stories” Oral History Program of Retired/Retiring Librarians. The goal of the “Capturing our stories” project is to record the life histories and disseminate and interpret these stories as lessons for other librarians. GLIFOS Social Media is a means by which the interviews are interpreted and disseminated.

The paper describes the “Capturing our stories” oral history program of retired/retiring librarians, GLIFOS Social Media software, and how GLIFOS is used to transcribe and add rich‐media capabilities to the “Capturing our stories” interviews.

GLIFOS is a useful tool for making the videos of the “Capturing our stories” program searchable, accessible, and more meaningful to viewers. It liberates video from the visual format to enable more manipulation of the data and use of the content.

The ability to search and add rich‐media capabilities to video is vital to making the vast amount of data and content in video searchable, accessible, and meaningful.

The paper describes a proprietary, wiki‐based software application (GLIFOS) for adding rich‐media capabilities to video.

Discusses the images and perceptions that individuals and library funders hold of libraries, library services and the librarian profession in relation to effective use of libraries and the skills of librarians. Argues that contributing factors to non‐use and under‐use are also those images and perceptions which librarians themselves hold of their profession and of potential users and their information needs. It is not only negative images and perceptions that need to be overcome but also barriers caused by lack of awareness of the “library world” and unrealistic expectations. Draws on surveys and experiences across all types of libraries from school to university and public to private sector.

The purpose of this study was to examine youth service librarians’ use of collaborative collection development (CCD) behaviors and interlibrary loan (ILL) to collaborate with school librarians.

A quantitative design was implemented with a self-administered survey that was placed online.

Public youth services librarians in the USA believe it is important to collaborate with school librarians. However, they are not frequently using collaborative resource sharing strategies. Public youth services librarians that have more experience, understand trends and issues in school libraries and feel they have knowledge of collaborative strategies are more likely to engage in collaborative resource sharing.

The study was limited to 265 public librarians serving youth in the USA. This study does not present the perspectives of school libraries.

CCD and ILL between public and school libraries are overlooked practices for building relationships between public and school librarians that should be explored. Presenting the benefits of these strategies during training programs may increase the resources that youth can access, thus having an overall impact on the quality of life in communities. Collaborating will also help communities understand the value of libraries as institutions for promoting lifelong learning.

The results provide evidence that public youth service librarians in the USA believe in the importance of collaborative relationships with school librarians. However, they do not frequently use ILL or engage in CCD behaviors with school librarians. Using ILL and CCD are two strategies that may be used to build stronger relationships.