Cybervetting Perceptions of Job Seekers in Saudi Arabia

Organizations have leveraged the use of social media (SM) in recruitment and selection to reach a wider pool of job applicants. The purpose of this study is to understand the perceptions of job seekers in Saudi Arabia using the job seekers’ attitudes toward the cybervetting (ATC) scale. This research is a quantitative cross-sectional study in which an online questionnaire was distributed among the target population who were seeking jobs and using social media sites. The ATC was translated to Arabic language and back-translated to English language and administered to a sample of 160 job applicants. The results showed negative perceptions of social media use as a screening and selection tool. Moreover, respondents perceived cybervetting negatively on the three dimensions tested: justice perceptions, privacy invasion, and face validity. The findings of this study have practical implications for human resources managers about the use of social media as an employee selection tool

Estimation of Gumbel Parameters under Ranked Set Sampling

Consider the MLEs (maximum likelihood estimators) of the parameters of the Gumbel distribution using SRS (simple random sample) and RSS (ranked set sample) and the MOMEs (method of moment estimators) and REGs (regression estimators) based on SRS. A comparison between these estimators using bias and MSE (mean square error) was performed using simulation. It appears that the MLE based on RSS can be a robust competitor to the MLE based on SRS

Serum resistin is associated with C-reactive protein and LDL- cholesterol in type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease in a Saudi population

Aims Resistin is an adipocyte-derived factor implicated in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study examines the association between human serum resistin, T2DM and coronary heart disease. Methods One hundred and fourteen Saudi Arabian patients (male: female ratio 46:68; age 51.4 (mean ± SD)11.7 years; median and range: 45.59 (11.7) years and BMI: 27.1 (mean ± SD) 8.1 Kgm2 median and range: 30.3 (6.3) were studied. Serum resistin and C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation CRP levels, were measured in all subjects. (35 patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); 22 patients had coronary heart disease (CHD). Results Serum resistin levels were 1.2-fold higher in type 2 diabetes and 1.3-fold higher in CHD than in controls (p = 0.01). In addition, CRP was significantly increased in both T2DM and CHD patients (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002 respectively). The use of regression analysis also determined that serum resistin correlated with CRP levels (p = 0.04, R2 0.045). Conclusion The findings from this study further implicate resistin as a circulating protein associated with T2DM and CHD. In addition this study also demonstrates an association between resistin and CRP, a marker of inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients

Effectiveness of tissue culture media components on the growth and development of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis) seedling explants in vitro

A key factor in the application of in vitro techniques to cauliflower improvement is the development of efficient protocols for regeneration of plants from tissue for use in breeding programs for the selection of the desirable genotypes under biotic and abiotic stress. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of different media components (agar or agar + sucrose or agar + Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts or agar + sucrose + MS) on callus induction and regeneration from five explants types (cotyledon, hypocotyls, shoot apex, primary root and root tip) and also the effects of auxin and cytokinin were carried out using one F1 hybrid cauliflower cv. Medallion. The results show that cotyledons, mid roots and root apices grown on agar + MS + sugar were the most developed compared with explants on the other media. This medium was the most productive in terms of lateral root number and root length. The presence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid increased callus production compared to 6-benzylamino purine. Within the selected explants, a significant difference was indicated between different explants under different treatments. Liquid culture was more successful at producing viable plantlets than solid culture.Key words: Cauliflower, explants, in vitro, growth regulator, growth characters, solid and liquid culture

A mysterious sensation about sleep and health: the role of interoception

BACKGROUND: Interoception is mental awareness, recognition and acknowledgement of physiological body signals. Understanding the role of sleep and interoception may provide a better understanding surrounding the sleep-health connection. Our primary objective was to examine the potential relationships between subjective sleep quality and multiple dimensions of interoceptive abilities in a large sample of young adults, a group who are vulnerable to sleep impairment and its widespread health consequences. METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey targeting young adults, aged 18-25 years. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to identify subjective sleep quality and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Version 2 was used to assess eight domains of interoception. We conducted a series of Spearman\u27s bivariate correlations to assess the relationships between global sleep quality as well as the seven PSQI sub-components in relation to the eight interoception outcomes. We then conducted quantile regression to assess if global PSQI score was an independent predictor of interoception. Participants (n = 609) consented and provided data. RESULTS: After adjustment, the global PSQI was a significant predictor of \u27Non-Distracting\u27, \u27Emotional Awareness\u27 and \u27Trusting\u27, where β = - 0.10 (95% CI: - 0.14, - 0.07), β = 0.05 (0.01, 0.09), and β = - 0.10 (- 0.14, - 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal a small, significant relationship between sleep quality and interoceptive abilities amongst young adults. Sleep impairment may inhibit interoceptive skills, thus adding value to the mechanistic explanation of the sleep-health relationship. Experimental and prospective studies are needed to determine temporal associations

Moral Disengagement and its Relationship to Moral Identity among Adolescents

ملخص: هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى دراسة العلاقة بين التحرّر الأخلاقي والهويّة الأخلاقيّة، كما هدفت إلى معرفة مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي والهويّة الأخلاقيّة، ومعرفة ما إذا كانت هنالك فروق في مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي والهويّة الأخلاقيّة تُعزى لمُتغيّريّ الجنس، والصف الدّراسي. ولتحقيق أهداف الدّراسة، اُستُخدم مقياس التحرّر الأخلاقي، ومقياس الهويّة الأخلاقيّة. تكونت عينة الدّراسة من (1032) من المراهقين تم اختيارهم بالطريقة القصدية. أسفرت نتائج الدراسة عن مستويات منخفضة من التحرّر الأخلاقي ومرتفعة من الهويّة الأخلاقيّة لدى عينة الدراسة. وأظهرت النتائج وجود فروق دالّة إحصائيًّا في مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي وأبعاده (التبرير الأخلاقي، والمسميات الملطفة، والمقارنة المفيدة، وإزاحة المسؤولية، ونشر المسؤولية، وتجاهل العواقب، وعزو اللوم، والتجريد من الخصائص الإنسانية) تُعزى لمُتغيّر الجنس، حيث إنّ مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي وأبعاده لدى الذّكور أعلى منه لدى الإناث، ووجود فروق دالّة إحصائيًّا في مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي وأبعاده (التبرير الأخلاقي، والمسميات الملطفة، ونشر المسؤولية، وعزو اللوم، والتجريد من الخصائص الإنسانية) تُعزى لمُتغيّر الصف الدّراسي، حيث إنّ مستوى التحرّر الأخلاقي وأبعاده لدى طلبة الصف السابع أعلى منه لدى طلبة الصف الثامن والصف التاسع. وكذلك أظهرت النتائج وجود فروق دالّة إحصائيا في مستوى الهويّة الأخلاقيّة وبعديها (الترميز، والاستيعاب) تُعزى لمُتغيّر الجنس، ولصالح الإناث، ووجود فروق دالّة إحصائيًّا في مستوى الهويّة الأخلاقيّة وبُعديها (الترميز، والاستيعاب) تُعزى لمُتغيّر الصف الدّراسي، ولصالح طلبة الصف الثامن. وأخيرًا أظهرت النتائج وجود علاقة ارتباطية سالبة ودالّة إحصائيًّا بين التحرّر الأخلاقي والهويّة الأخلاقيّة. واستنادًا الى النتائج، توصي الدراسة بالاستفادة من المستوى المرتفع للهوية الأخلاقيّة عند المراهقين في تنمية، وتطوير جوانب الشخصيّة الأخرى، كالمسؤولية الاجتماعيّة.Abstract: This study aimed to examine the relationship between moral disengagement and moral identity; moreover, it aimed at identifying the level of moral disengagement as well as the moral identity. Furthermore, this paper also aimed to see whether there are statistically significant differences in the level of moral disengagement and moral identity can attributed to so gender and class levels. To achieve the objective of the study, both moral disengagement scale, and moral identity scale were used. The sample of the study consisted of (1032) adolescents chosen purposive method. The results of the study revealed low levels of moral disengagement and high levels of moral identity. Male adolescents were significantly higher than their female counterpart regarding the moral disengagement and its dimensions (moral justification, euphemistic language, advantageous comparison, displacement of responsibility, diffusion of responsibility, distorting consequence, attribution of blame, and dehumanization), and seventh-grade were significantly higher than their eighth and ninth grade counterpart regarding the moral disengagement and its dimensions (moral justification, euphemistic language, diffusion of responsibility,  attribution of blame, and dehumanization). It was found that the levels of moral identity and its dimensions (symbolization and internalization) were significantly higher in females than males. It was also found that the levels of moral identity and its dimensions (symbolization and internalization) were significantly higher eighth-grade than seventh and ninth grade. Finally, the results showed a negative relationship between moral disengagement and moral identity. Based on the results, the study recommends taking advantage of the high level of moral identity among adolescents in the development of other aspects of personality, such as social responsibility

Characterisation of Nicotine and Cancer-Enhancing Anions in the Common Smokeless Tobacco Afzal in Oman

Objectives: Afzal is a common smokeless tobacco product (STP) available illegally in Oman. This study aimed to assess pH and moisture levels and determine cancer-enhancing factors in a randomly selected sample of Afzal. Methods: This study was carried out at the Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman, between April and December 2013. A package of Afzal was purchased from a single provider and divided into samples. The pH and moisture content of the samples were measured according to the protocols of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyse nicotine levels and ionexchange chromatography (IC) was used to determine concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, chloride, fluoride, bromide, sulphate and phosphate anions. Results: The samples had an alkaline pH of 10.46 with high levels of total (48,770.00 μg per g of STP [μg/g]) and unionised (48,590.00 μg/g) nicotine. The concentration of nitrate (8,792.20 μg/g) was alarmingly high. The chloride concentration (33,170.80 μg/g) showed a surge on IC chromatography. The moisture content percentage was 52.00%. Conclusion: The moisture content percentage and chloride concentration of Afzal was consistent with those of other STPs. In contrast, nitrite, sulphate and phosphate concentrations were below reported levels of other STPs. All anion concentrations were below the maximum daily limit set by international health organisations. However, the high concentrations of nitrite, nitrate and nicotine and the elevated alkaline pH observed in the analysed Afzal samples suggest that STP users will face health risks as a result of their use