Students’ Engagement in Independent Learning and Personal Development: Issues, Attitudes and Difficulties from the Female Learners’ Lived Experiences of Using Social Media in the Context of Saudi Higher Education

Personal access to digital information affects all situations in life, from lifelong learning and careers to teaching and learning practices. Recently, there has been interest in individuals’ uses of social media, its association with personal and academic development, and its extensive use in both formal and informal educational contexts. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), particular research attention has been given to females’ use of social media due to the significance of such easy access to their learning and development in the broader cultural context. However, little is known about the educational implications of such extended personal learning practices. For instance, the issues, attitudes and difficulties of students’ engagement, and the students’ changing needs and expectations under current social media influence, are still not fully understood. This research employs an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to investigate the lived learning experiences of female university students, focusing on their personal use of social media to examine current issues in students’ experiences in Saudi higher education. A group of female undergraduate learners in a Saudi higher education context were selected to offer the learners’ voice and perspective on educational issues related to their own engagement. Students’ personal accounts and different stories of engagement in independent learning and personal development from their use of social media have been collected through two phases. In the first phase, 20 female students participated in in-depth individual interviews and reflective diary reports. In the second phase, 12 female students participated in two focus group discussions to elicit their attitudes and opinions. The (IPA) analysis of the data drawing from different educational theories in the literature was used to understand factors related to students’ engagement and non-engagement from their different attitudes and stories of success and failure when using social media independently. Themes that emerged as drivers and motivations leading to students’ engagement in learning and personal development included self-efficacy and reflection, personal values and beliefs, awareness of opportunity, challenges and transitions, social inclusion and empowerment with learning choice. Several themes were also revealed from the personal accounts as barriers and difficulties for students’ engagement, including personal negative attitudes and experiences, understanding of social media risk, information overload and distraction, organisational, pedagogical and curriculum barriers, lack of social inclusion, technical problems, and time and cost issues. The research concludes with several recommendations for improving all students’ engagement under the current themes of personal and self-directed lifelong learning with matching curriculum and pedagogies adopted in this context to meet current student learning needs

The role of sodium influx via voltage-gated sodium channels in regeneration of Lumbriculus variegatus

The California Blackworm (Lumbriculus variegatus) has great ability to regenerate from small fragments into a new worm depending on two forms of regeneration: epimorphosis and morphallaxis. Both patterns of regeneration work in concert with each other in order to ensure the survival of the organism. Regeneration of the head segments following amputation produces 7-8 new segments; while the number of regenerated tail segments is dependent on the time following amputation. The nature, origin, and position of cells that are involved in formation of new tissues during regeneration in L. variegatus for both head and tail regeneration are not completely known. In this study I'm trying to find the nature, origin, and position of the neoblasts and investigate if the neoblasts that migrate into the cut site are cells derived from differentiated tissues already in the region of the wound by using EdU staining. The results showed that stem cells (neoblasts) are randomly scattered in the body and few in number. Upon injury these cells undergo hyperproliferation and migrate to the wound site for both head and tail regeneration. During head regeneration the results suggested a reprogramming of cells in the cut site upon injury due to the abundance of Na+ in cells in the injury site. Recent studies showed that a change in the cell's resting potential influences regeneration. In this study, I exposed the worms to the voltage-gated sodium channel blocker tricaine (TMS) and examined somatic regeneration of heads and tails following body transection. Regeneration of worms was examined for 10 days after amputation either in the presence of TMS or in control pond water. Regeneration of both new head and tail body segments was reduced in the presence of TMS, especially in the tail. Head regeneration in the presence of TMS showed defective morphology with no well defined segments. Both effects of sodium transport into the cells in the bud region were examined by CoroNa Green staining, and somatic cell regeneration in the bud by EdU. The number of dividing cells in the bud region for both head and tail TMS-treated worms decreased significantly, although number of dividing cells that were scattered around the remainder of the body didn't show a significant change compared to control worms. The number of proliferating cells in the bud region showed a strong relationship with the concentration of Na+ in the cells in the bud region. To further investigate the effects of sodium influx on regeneration, monensin, a sodium ionophore, was used in TMS-treated worms. These worms did not show increased regeneration ability compared to TMS-treated worms. In combination, these result suggest that sodium influx via voltage-gated sodium channels has effects on both head and tail regeneration that affects cell migration of dividing cells that are scattered around the body and dividing cells in the bud region.Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, Biology, 201

Phytochemical analysis and bioactivity screening of three medicinal plants of Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To investigate the phytochemical analysis and bioactivity screening of some Asteraceae medicinal plants. Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography and elucidated using chemical and extensive spectroscopic methodologies including gas chromatoraphy-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The plant extracts were obtained by solvent extraction method while hydrodistillation was used to isolate plant essential oils. Furthermore, cup-plate agar diffusion was applied for antimicrobial activity evaluation while minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was assessed by microdilution technique. Results: Centaurea pseudosinaica, Tripleurospermum auriculatum, and Koelpinia linearis afforded previously undescribed three coumarins (xanthotoxin, cirsimaritin, salvigenins) from C. pseudosinaica, one steroid (estradiol) and a pentacyclic triterpene (β-amyrin) from T. auriculatum and a coumarin (santin) from K. linearis in good yields. In addition, the plant extracts and oils exhibited remarkable bioactivities including antifungal, antibacterial and antipyretic etc. Conclusion: The results reveal the presence of bioactive phytomolecules from Asteraceae plant extracts and volatile oils from three Asteraceae plants. Keywords: C. pseudosinaica, T. auriculatum, K. linearis, Xanthotoxin, Salvigenin, Cirsimaritin, Santin, Estradiol, β-amyrin, Antimicrobial activit

Traumatic spinal injuries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a study of associated injuries, management and mortality

Introduction: traumatic spinal fracture is a painful and disabling injury associated with poor long-term functional outcome. The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of spinal fractures in road traffic accident (RTA) victims, their management, mortality rate and associated injuries. This study reveals and adds useful insights to the literature from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in terms of incidence of RTA-related spinal fractures, including their management and mortality rate. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital and Prince Sultan Center for Health Services (KKH & PSCHS) in AlKharj, KSA from September 2016 to June 2017. A total of 120 patients suffering from spinal/vertebral fractures due to RTAs were included in this study. The data was collected from patients' charts, including age, gender, region or distribution of the spinal fracture, associated fractures, number of fractures, degrees of shock, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), treatment modalities, along with the management of spinal fractures, days of hospital stay, referral and discharges or deaths. Results: the mean age of patients was 29.21. The most common anatomic region of the fracture was the cervical region (35%). Injuries associated with traumatic spinal fracture were predominated by clavicular fractures. More than half of the victims (58.30%) had a cervical brace applied before leaving the hospital. 29.20% patients required posterior stabilization with pedicle screws. Anterior corpectomy, grafting and plating was done to 4.30% patients. Conclusion: traumatic spinal fractures require prompt diagnosis and timely management in order to improve the outcome

A qualitative assessment of the pulmonary rehabilitation decision-making needs of patients living with COPD

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is highly evidenced but underutilised in patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A menu of centre and home-based programmes is available to facilitate uptake but is not routinely offered. An appraisal of the current PR referral approach compared to a menu-based approach was warranted to explore the decision-making needs of patients living with COPD when considering a referral to PR. Face-to-face or telephone, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients diagnosed with COPD and referred to PR and referring HCPs. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the enhanced critical incident technique. 14 HCPs and 11 patients were interviewed (n = 25). Interview data generated 276 critical incidents which informed 28 categories (30 sub-categories). Five high-level themes captured patients' decision-making needs for PR: Understanding COPD, understanding PR, perceived ability to access PR, a desire to accept PR, and supporting the offer. A menu-based approach would further support patients' PR decision-making, however, insufficient knowledge of the programmes would limit its perceived feasibility and acceptability. The development of shared decision making interventions (e.g., a patient decision aid) to elicit patient-centred, meaningful discussions about the menu is suggested

Impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota – a case-control study.

Oral microbiota is a vital part of human microbiota, including bacterial, protozoa, viral and fungal species. Beneficial microbes form biofilms to form a first-line defense against harmful microorganisms. Tobacco smoking is considered a major environmental factor affecting the orodental microbiota. Smokers harbor more pathogenic microbes than non-smokers. In fact, cigarette smoking exposes the oral cavity to a large number of toxicants, perturbing the oral microbial ecology through various mechanisms. In Saudi Arabia, research on the impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota is still lacking. Therefore, this case-control study is an important addition to the literature in terms of tobacco use and its effects on oral microbiota and oral hygiene. 130 men were recruited for this study, including 65 smokers and 65 non-smokers. The following parameters were recorded for all 130 participants – age, weight, height and education. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of tobacco smoking on the oral microbiome of smokers and non-smokers. The majority of the smokers were young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 inclusive (n=27). The results show that excessive microorganism growth was seen in smokers to a greater degree than non-smokers (38.5% of smokers vs. 8.8% of non-smokers). Not surprisingly, a significant majority (85.3%) of non-smokers had moderate microorganism growth compared to only 53.8% of smokers. cigarette smoking facilitates excessive growth of oral microorganisms, predisposing smokers to various periodontal diseases. In fact, smoking perturbs the balance of oral microbiota, producing a viable environment for microbes to cause diseases. Further large scale prospective studies are required to determine the exact mechanism that causes tobacco to affect oral microbiota

The composition of the essential oil and aqueous distillate of Origanum vulgare L. growing in Saudi Arabia and evaluation of their antibacterial activity

The essential oil and aqueous distillate composition of Origanum vulgare L. were analyzed by GC/MS. Sixty-seven different components were detected in both oils. Sixty-four components were characterized for the oil derived from the aerial parts, whereas thirty-three components in the volatile oil from the aqueous distillates of O. vulgare L., representing 99.8% and 98.5% of the oils, respectively. The main components of the volatile oil from the aerial parts of O. vulgare L. were carvacrol (70.2 ± 1.37%), c-terpinene (5.6 ± 0.11%), p-cymene (4.5 ± 0.42 %), trans-sabinene hydrate (3.8 ± 0.07%), and thymol (2.2 ± 0.12%). In comparison, the main compounds of the volatile oil of the O. vulgare L. aqueous distillates were carvacrol (92.5 ± 0.97 %), thymol (2.5 ± 0.09%), and terpinen-4-ol (1.0 ± 0.03%). The antibacterial activity of both oils, along with that of the purified major component, carvacrol, against Gram-positive and Gramnegative strains was assessed. The results revealed that all three samples showed significant antibacterial activity against all tested strains. The IC50 values of the oils derived from the aerial parts and aqueous distillates of O. vulgare L. against the tested strains was in the range of 107–383 mg�mL1 , whereas, the IC50 value of carvacrol was in the range of 53–151 mg�mL1 . The data suggest that carvacrol, a major component of both oils, possesses the highest antibacterial activity of all th

Impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota – a case-control study.

Oral microbiota is a vital part of human microbiota, including bacterial, protozoa, viral and fungal species. Beneficial microbes form biofilms to form a first-line defense against harmful microorganisms. Tobacco smoking is considered a major environmental factor affecting the orodental microbiota. Smokers harbor more pathogenic microbes than non-smokers. In fact, cigarette smoking exposes the oral cavity to a large number of toxicants, perturbing the oral microbial ecology through various mechanisms. In Saudi Arabia, research on the impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota is still lacking. Therefore, this case-control study is an important addition to the literature in terms of tobacco use and its effects on oral microbiota and oral hygiene. 130 men were recruited for this study, including 65 smokers and 65 non-smokers. The following parameters were recorded for all 130 participants – age, weight, height and education. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of tobacco smoking on the oral microbiome of smokers and non-smokers. The majority of the smokers were young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 inclusive (n=27). The results show that excessive microorganism growth was seen in smokers to a greater degree than non-smokers (38.5% of smokers vs. 8.8% of non-smokers). Not surprisingly, a significant majority (85.3%) of non-smokers had moderate microorganism growth compared to only 53.8% of smokers. cigarette smoking facilitates excessive growth of oral microorganisms, predisposing smokers to various periodontal diseases. In fact, smoking perturbs the balance of oral microbiota, producing a viable environment for microbes to cause diseases. Further large scale prospective studies are required to determine the exact mechanism that causes tobacco to affect oral microbiota

Is the long-run relationship between economic growth, electricity consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and financial development in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries robust?

The relationship between carbon dioxide emissions, economic growth, electricity consumption and financial development in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is investigated in this study using panel data for the period of 1980-2012. A number of econometric techniques: dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and the dynamic fixed effect model (DFE) are applied in order to estimate the long-run relationship between the variables. The long-run relationship is found to be robust across these different econometric specifications. No significant short-run significant relationship was observed. Electricity consumption and economic growth have a positive long run relationship with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions whilst a negative and significant relationship was found between CO2 emissions and financial development. The findings imply that electricity consumption and economic growth stimulate CO2 emissions in GCC countries while financial development reduces it. Granger causality results reveal that there is a bidirectional causal link between economic growth and CO2 emissions and a unidirectional causal link running from electricity consumption to CO2 emissions. However, there is no causal link between financial development and CO2 emissions. Also, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis outline forecasted impacts of economic growth and electricity consumption on future CO2 emissions