Building the Sixth-Grade Students of Mnemonics in Science according to the Imagery Style

ملخص: هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى الكشف عن تأثير أنماط التصور الذهني (التخطيطي/الصوري) لدى طالبات الصف السادس الأساسي في بنائهن معينات الذاكرة في مادة العلوم، وذلك بتطبيق منهج البحث النوعي؛ ولتحقيق هذا الهدف طُبقت المقابلات المعمقة شبه المقننة، كما طُبق مقياس التصور الذهني قبليًا لتصنيف الطالبات حسب نمط التصور الذهني. فاختيرت عينة مكونة من (12) طالبة بالطريقة القصدية في محافظة مسقط في العام الدراسي 2019/2020، وكانت هذه العينة ضمن ثلاث مجموعات دراسية وهي: مجموعة استخدام معينات الذاكرة والتي دُرست باستخدام إستراتيجيات لمعينات الذاكرة، ومجموعة بناء معينات الذاكرة وهي التي قامت فيها الطالبات ببناء معينات الذاكرة، والمجموعة الضابطة والتي دُرست بالطريقة السائدة. أجريت المقابلات بعد المعالجة، فأظهرت نتائج تحليل المقابلات تميز طالبات مجموعة استخدام معينات الذاكرة بتنوع إستراتيجيات معينات الذاكرة التي قامت ببنائها، وتميزت مجموعة بناء معينات الذاكرة بالسلاسة في بناء المعينات، واتباع منهجية معينة عند بناء معينات الذاكرة، كذلك ظهر اختلاف في بناء معينات الذاكرة بين الطالبات حسب نمط التصور الذهني؛ فتميزت الطالبات ذوات نمط التصور الذهني الصوري بتوظيف الصور والتفصيل في الاستجابات، في حين اختفت الرسومات لدى غالبية طالبات نمط التصور الذهني التخطيطي، وإن وجدت فتكون خالية من التفاصيل. أوصت الدراسة باعتماد إستراتيجيات معينات الذاكرة كإستراتيجيات تدريس مع تخصيص جزء من وقت الحصة الدراسية لإكساب الطلبة هذه الإستراتيجيات وتشجيعهم على بناء معينات خاصة بهم.Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the effect of the imagery style (schematic / pictorial) among the sixth grade students in their building mnemonics in science. A qualitative research method was used and semi-structured in-depth interviews were applied. The imagery style scale was also applied to classify the students according to the types of imagery styles. A sample of 12 students was selected purposefully in Muscat Governorate in the academic year 2019/2020. The sample of the study was within three study groups: the first group was the mnemonics usage group. The second group was the mnemonics-building group and the third group was the control group which was taught in the conventional teaching method. The interviews were conducted after the treatment with the study sample. The results of the interview analysis showed that the students of the mnemonics usage group were characterized by the variety of strategies for mnemonics that they built. In constructing, the mnemonics building group was characterized by smoothness in mnemonics and following a particular methodology when constructing mnemonics. There was also a difference in the building of mnemonics among the students according to the types of imagery style. The students with the pictorial imagery style were distinguished by the use of images and expanding the responses. While the drawings of the majority of the students of the schematic imagery style disappeared, and if they existed, then they are devoid of details. The study recommended the adoption of mnemonics as teaching strategies. As well as allocating part of the class time to provide students with these strategies and encourage them to build their own mnemonics

Clinicopathological Investigations Among Recurrent Camelpox Outbreaks in Omanis’ Arabian Camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Camelpox remains a widespread viral disease in camelids, with socioeconomic relevance. The present study explored the hematological, biochemical, and histopathological alterations in dromedary-racing camels from the North of Oman infected with camelpox virus diagnosed by real-time PCR. Blood and skin samples were collected from camels with clinical signs and skin lesions (n=4) and from healthy camels (n=3) from 10 different camel herds. The results indicated that the infected camels showed clinical signs, including pyrexia, lacrimation, nasal mucus discharge, affixed and swollen eyelids, emaciation, and pimples on the skin of the head, legs, and abdomen. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets were significantly greater, with a significant reduction in leukocyte and lymphocyte counts in infected camels than in healthy camels. Infected camels had higher CK and creatinine levels and hepatic-related metabolites, including AST, ALP, AST, GGT, and LDH, than the apparently healthy camels. Histopathological examination of skin scab samples revealed ballooning degeneration of epidermal cells in the presence of typical large eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies and suppurative dermatitis following secondary bacterial infection in all examined infected camels. Camelpox viral DNA was detected using real-time PCR in the blood and skin samples of all infected camels. These findings in dromedary-racing camels associated with a molecular diagnosis of camelpox are described for the first time in the Sultanate of Oman. Therefore, further studies are warranted

Role of Prolactin Receptors in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare lung disease caused by mutations in the tumor suppressor genes encoding Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) 1 and TSC2. The protein product of the TSC2 gene is a well-known suppressor of the mTOR pathway. Emerging evidence suggests that the pituitary hormone prolactin (Prl) has both endocrine and paracrine modes of action. Here, we have investigated components of the Prl system in models for LAM. In a TSC2 (+/-) mouse sarcoma cell line, down-regulation of TSC2 using siRNA resulted in increased levels of the Prl receptor. In human LAM cells, the Prl receptor is detectable by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of Prl in these cells stimulates STAT3 and Erk phosphorylation, as well as proliferation. A high affinity Prl receptor antagonist consisting of Prl with four amino acid substitutions reduced phosphorylation of STAT3 and Erk. Antagonist treatment further reduced the proliferative and invasive properties of LAM cells. In histological sections from LAM patients, Prl receptor immuno reactivity was observed. We conclude that the Prl receptor is expressed in LAM, and that loss of TSC2 increases Prl receptor levels. It is proposed that Prl exerts growth-stimulatory effects on LAM cells, and that antagonizing the Prl receptor can block such effects

A normative study of the raven coloured progressive matrices test for omani hildren aged 5-11 years*

Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices test has been extensively used across a wide variety of settings in different countries all over the world as a fair culture measure of non-verbal intelligence. The objective of the present study is to extract norms of the test for Omani children. The test was applied on an individual basis on a random sample of 1042 children from different age groups ranging from 5 to 11 years old. All of the estimated psychometric properties including validity, reliability, and norms indicate that the test could be practically utilized when applied in several situations. The study has a number of implications including that the Ministry of Education may use it to diagnose and detect those children with learning difficulties; the Ministry of Health may use it in hospitals to measure the IQ of certain patients in order to make medical decisions. In addition, researchers in psychological and social areas would be able to conduct studies aiming at measuring the intelligence of children