Teachers’ technology literacy in Iran’s national curriculum on education and training in work and technology

Background and Objectives:Technology is changing rapidly, and as new technologies are created, existing technologies are being improved and developed. The technologies of the 21st century have brought possibilities to mankind, and the advances that have taken place surround human life today from all sides. Among these changes are the impact of technological advances in education and the resulting changes in the teaching-learning process. In today's world, educational systems are looking for new approaches to help them rebuild in the face of global changes. For this reconstruction, they need a rich curriculum, flexible education, effective educational leadership, a suitable learning environment and educational content, and capable and professional teachers. Readiness to use technology and knowledge of how technology supports students' learning should be one of the basic skills of teachers. Teachers' ability in the field of technology literacy enables them to use new technologies in the teaching-learning process, especially information and communication technology, thereby improving the quality of their education and the level of information literacy of students and access to a wide range of information learning resources The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ technology literacy in the national curriculum on Education and Training in Work and Technology. Method and Materials: This research is conducted as a descriptive study using content analysis technique. The population was three main education documents including National Comprehensive Scientific Map; The Fundamental Transformation of Education Document; and The National Curriculum Document. Data collection instruments were checklists. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the frequencies and test the results of univariate t-test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Gutmann factor was used to test the reliability. Findings: The results show agreement between .48 to .95 coefficients for the validity checklists using content validity. The findings of the study show that the level of attention to teacher technology literacy in National Curriculum in the Domain of Teaching and Education Work and Technology was higher than average; and to a largely extent it is appropriately cared for. There is no significant difference between technology literacy standards in terms of compliance with the competencies intended for teachers. Conclusion: The results show that there is no significant difference between teachers' technology literacy standards and their compliance with the required competencies. Optimal implementation of the national curriculum in the relevant field requires the special assistance and attention of teachers and the use of appropriate professional competencies provided in this program; so its provisions should be taken seriously into account in human resource engineering and in training programs, recruitment and empowerment and retraining teachers before and during service Due to the comprehensive national curriculum in the field of training and learning work and technology, in the field of technology literacy, the content should be included in the preparation and compilation of all educational content, including textbooks, curriculum guide and production of educational packages, etc

Magnesium-based nanocomposites: A review from mechanical, creep and fatigue properties

The addition of nanoscale additions to magnesium (Mg) based alloys can boost mechanical characteristics without noticeably decreasing ductility. Since Mg is the lightest structural material, the Mg-based nanocomposites (NCs) with improved mechanical properties are appealing materials for lightweight structural applications. In contrast to conventional Mg-based composites, the incorporation of nano-sized reinforcing particles noticeably boosts the strength of Mg-based nanocomposites without significantly reducing the formability. The present article reviews Mg-based metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) with metallic and ceramic additions, fabricated via both solid-based (sintering and powder metallurgy) and liquid-based (disintegrated melt deposition) technologies. It also reviews strengthening models and mechanisms that have been proposed to explain the improved mechanical characteristics of Mg-based alloys and nanocomposites. Further, synergistic strengthening mechanisms in Mg matrix nanocomposites and the dominant equations for quantitatively predicting mechanical properties are provided. Furthermore, this study offers an overview of the creep and fatigue behavior of Mg-based alloys and nanocomposites using both traditional (uniaxial) and depth-sensing indentation techniques. The potential applications of magnesium-based alloys and nanocomposites are also surveyed

Design and Advanced Manufacturing of NU-1000 Metal–Organic Frameworks with Future Perspectives for Environmental and Renewable Energy Applications

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a relatively new family of materials that attract lots of attention thanks to their unique features such as hierarchical porosity, active metal centers, versatility of linkers/metal nodes, and large surface area. Among the extended list of MOFs, Zr-based-MOFs demonstrate comparably superior chemical and thermal stabilities, making them ideal candidates for energy and environmental applications. As a Zr-MOF, NU-1000 is first synthesized at Northwestern University. A comprehensive review of various approaches to the synthesis of NU-1000 MOFs for obtaining unique surface properties (e.g., diverse surface morphologies, large surface area, and particular pore size distribution) and their applications in the catalysis (electro-, and photo-catalysis), CO2 reduction, batteries, hydrogen storage, gas storage/separation, and other environmental fields are presented. The review further outlines the current challenges in the development of NU-1000 MOFs and their derivatives in practical applications, revealing areas for future investigation

Regulatory network analysis of Epstein-Barr virus identifies functional modules and hub genes involved in infectious mononucleosis

© 2017, Springer-Verlag Wien.Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the most common cause of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and establishes lifetime infection associated with a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to develop an integrative gene regulatory network (GRN) approach and overlying gene expression data to identify the representative subnetworks for IM and EBV latent infection (LI). After identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in both IM and LI gene expression profiles, functional annotations were applied using gene ontology (GO) and BiNGO tools, and construction of GRNs, topological analysis and identification of modules were carried out using several plugins of Cytoscape. In parallel, a human-EBV GRN was generated using the Hu-Vir database for further analyses. Our analysis revealed that the majority of DEGs in both IM and LI were involved in cell-cycle and DNA repair processes. However, these genes showed a significant negative correlation in the IM and LI states. Furthermore, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) – a hub gene with the highest centrality score – appeared to be the key player in cell cycle regulation in IM disease. The most significant functional modules in the IM and LI states were involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis, respectively. Human-EBV network analysis revealed several direct targets of EBV proteins during IM disease. Our study provides an important first report on the response to IM/LI EBV infection in humans. An important aspect of our data was the upregulation of genes associated with cell cycle progression and proliferation

Telemedicine at a University Ophthalmology Practice During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anthony C Oganov, Timothy Y Chou, Paris M Hanson, Azin Abazari, Preston Kung, Sarah B Weissbart, Jacqueline N Lenoci, Robert A Honkanen Department of Ophthalmology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11974, USACorrespondence: Timothy Y Chou, Department of Ophthalmology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, HSC L2, Rm 152, Stony Brook, NY, 11974, USA, Tel +1 631444-1131, Fax +631444-4089, Email [email protected]: The aim of the research was to evaluate the use of teleophthalmology at a university practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically examining precision, effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.Patients and Methods: Telemedicine visits were offered to new and established patients requesting appointments with the Stony Brook University Department of Ophthalmology between March 30 and June 2, 2020. Records from these visits were reviewed for chief complaint, past medical and ocular history, diagnoses, treatment/management, and providers’ sub-specialty. Precision was determined by comparing agreement between diagnoses of the telemedicine visit with those of the subsequent in-person visit. The decision to follow up in person was made by the physician and patient. Diagnostic precision as well as progression, improvement, or stability of patients’ symptoms were determined by the physician’s assessment at follow-up visits. Post-telemedicine visit satisfaction surveys were sent to all patients.Results: Telemedicine visits were offered to 783 patients, 520 (66.4%) of whom accepted. Of these 520 patients, 409 (78.7%) were established and 105 (20.2%) had in-person, follow-up visits. Overall, the diagnostic precision of the follow-up visits was 89.5%. Precision differed significantly across ophthalmologic subspecialties. Of the patients who had in-person follow-up visits, 56.8% remained stable, 32.4% improved, and 10.8% worsened. Established patients presented with more extensive ocular histories/procedures and experienced a higher percentage of worsening symptoms/disease stage compared to new patients. Oculoplastics/orbit was the most prevalent diagnostic subspecialty that worsened. Surveys were sent to all patients completing telemedicine visits, 15.0% of whom responded. Overall satisfaction was 91.9%, although only 23.0% of respondents preferred telemedicine to an in-office visit.Conclusion: Telehealth provides high levels of precision and patient satisfaction for a wide range of ophthalmologic visits, although most patients still prefer in-office examinations. Employing teleophthalmology for follow-up and emergency care may provide patients with an effective alternative during pandemic situations and beyond.Plain Language Summary: Telemedicine involves integration of modern telecommunications technology into medical practice. Over the years, it has demonstrated greater and more widespread utility for different medical specialties, including ophthalmology.As a response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Stony Brook University Department of Ophthalmology provided an option of telemedicine for patients in lieu of in-person eye examinations. In this paper, Stony Brook ophthalmologists report on their experience with teleophthalmology, particularly regarding its utilization, accuracy, effectiveness, precision, and acceptability. The authors examined the records of 520 patients who had telemedicine encounters between March 30 and June 2, 2020. Precision was determined by comparing the initial and final diagnoses of all patients who had an in-person follow-up appointment following a telemedicine visit. Of 105 patients that followed up, precision was determined to be 89.5%. Precision was compared across ophthalmologic subspecialties and found to be statistically similar (p> 0.05). Approximately a third of patients improved, while nearly 11% worsened. Established and oculoplastics patients were more significantly likely to worsen. Surverys were sent out to study patients to gauge their satisfaction with their telemedicine experience. Although satisfaction was nearly 92%, only 23% of patients preferred telemedicine to an in-person physician encounter. The authors conclude that teleophthalmology provides a high level of diagnostic precision and patient satisfaction; nevertheless, most patients prefer in-person physician encounters. Telemedicine may provide an effective alternative to in-person ophthalmology assessments, especially during a pandemic. There appears to be a lesser but potentially useful role for teleophthalmology in a non-pandemic setting.Keywords: Teleophthalmology, teleglaucoma, teleretina, telehealth, coronaviru

Archaeogenetic analysis of Neolithic sheep from Anatolia suggests a complex demographic history since domestication

Sheep were among the first domesticated animals, but their demographic history is little understood. Here we analyzed nuclear polymorphism and mitochondrial data (mtDNA) from ancient central and west Anatolian sheep dating from Epipaleolithic to late Neolithic, comparatively with modern-day breeds and central Asian Neolithic/Bronze Age sheep (OBI). Analyzing ancient nuclear data, we found that Anatolian Neolithic sheep (ANS) are genetically closest to present-day European breeds relative to Asian breeds, a conclusion supported by mtDNA haplogroup frequencies. In contrast, OBI showed higher genetic affinity to present-day Asian breeds. These results suggest that the east-west genetic structure observed in present-day breeds had already emerged by 6000 BCE, hinting at multiple sheep domestication episodes or early wild introgression in southwest Asia. Furthermore, we found that ANS are genetically distinct from all modern breeds. Our results suggest that European and Anatolian domestic sheep gene pools have been strongly remolded since the Neolithic

Archaeogenetic analysis of Neolithic sheep from Anatolia suggests a complex demographic history since domestication

Yurtman, ozer, Yuncu et al. provide an ancient DNA data set to demonstrate the impact of human activity on the demographic history of domestic sheep. The authors demonstrate that there may have been multiple domestication events with notable changes to the gene pool of European and Anatolian sheep since the Neolithic. Sheep were among the first domesticated animals, but their demographic history is little understood. Here we analyzed nuclear polymorphism and mitochondrial data (mtDNA) from ancient central and west Anatolian sheep dating from Epipaleolithic to late Neolithic, comparatively with modern-day breeds and central Asian Neolithic/Bronze Age sheep (OBI). Analyzing ancient nuclear data, we found that Anatolian Neolithic sheep (ANS) are genetically closest to present-day European breeds relative to Asian breeds, a conclusion supported by mtDNA haplogroup frequencies. In contrast, OBI showed higher genetic affinity to present-day Asian breeds. These results suggest that the east-west genetic structure observed in present-day breeds had already emerged by 6000 BCE, hinting at multiple sheep domestication episodes or early wild introgression in southwest Asia. Furthermore, we found that ANS are genetically distinct from all modern breeds. Our results suggest that European and Anatolian domestic sheep gene pools have been strongly remolded since the Neolithic