Developing and Assessing a Social Networking Framework for Universities in Saudi Arabia

The interactive capacities of social networking have unleashed the potential for enhancing teaching and learning in the higher education sector. This research focuses on Saudi Arabia in order to determine the factors that must be considered for developing a social networking framework for the use in universities. The main research outcome is a social networking framework for higher education in Saudi Arabia which can be used by a range of stakeholders within higher educatio

Mudanças das práticas discursivas de professores aprendendo matemáticas dinâmicas em um ambiente colaborativo online

Using data from an inservice professional development course, we inquire into changes in secondary teachers’ discursive practices in a latter part of the course compared to the beginning of the course. Participants interacted in a collaborative online environment, known as Virtual Math Teams with GeoGebra (VMTwG), focusing on discursive, mathematical, and collaborative practices. From a sociocultural perspective, we believe that teachers gradually develop their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) by interacting discursively in small teams. Using conventional content analysis of the teachers’ review of their recorded discourse, we investigate changes in practices from the teachers’ perspective. Our results show that teachers perceived that their discursive practices differed importantly from their practices at the beginning of the course.Usando dados de uma disciplina de desenvolvimento profissional para professores de matemática em serviço, investigamos as mudanças nas práticas discursivas dos professores de Fundamental II e Ensino Médio em uma última parte da disciplina, em comparação com o início da disciplina. Os professores interagiram em um ambiente colaborativo online, conhecido como Virtual Math Teams com GeoGebra (VMTcG), com foco em práticas discursivas, matemáticas e colaborativas. De uma perspectiva sociocultural, acreditamos que os professores desenvolvem gradualmente o seu conhecimento tecnológico, pedagógico e do conteúdo (TPACK), interagindo discursivamente em equipes pequenas. Usando a análise de conteúdo convencional da revisão dos professores sobre seu discurso gravado, investigamos as mudanças nas práticas da perspectiva dos professores. Nossos resultados mostram que os professores perceberam que suas práticas discursivas diferiam importantemente de suas práticas no início do curso

eNOS plays essential roles in the developing heart and aorta linked to disruption of Notch signalling

\ua9 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd. eNOS (NOS3) is the enzyme that generates nitric oxide, a signalling molecule and regulator of vascular tone. Loss of eNOS function is associated with increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis, hypertension, thrombosis and stroke. Aortopathy and cardiac hypertrophy have also been found in eNOS null mice, but their aetiology is unclear. We evaluated eNOS nulls before and around birth for cardiac defects, revealing severe abnormalities in the ventricular myocardium and pharyngeal arch arteries. Moreover, in the aortic arch, there were fewer baroreceptors, which sense changes in blood pressure. Adult eNOS null survivors showed evidence of cardiac hypertrophy, aortopathy and cartilaginous metaplasia in the periductal region of the aortic arch. Notch1 and neuregulin were dysregulated in the forming pharyngeal arch arteries and ventricles, suggesting that these pathways may be relevant to the defects observed. Dysregulation of eNOS leads to embryonic and perinatal death, suggesting mutations in eNOS are candidates for causing congenital heart defects in humans. Surviving eNOS mutants have a deficiency of baroreceptors that likely contributes to high blood pressure and may have relevance to human patients who suffer from hypertension associated with aortic arch abnormalities

Low dose ionising radiation-induced hormesis: Therapeutic implications to human health

The concept of radiation-induced hormesis, whereby a low dose is beneficial and a high dose is detrimental, has been gaining attention in the fields of molecular biology, environmental toxicology and radiation biology. There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of hormetic dose response not only in the radiation field, but also with molecular agents. However, there is continuing debate on the magnitude and mechanism of radiation hormetic dose response, which could make further contributions, as a research tool, to science and perhaps eventually to public health due to potential therapeutic benefits for society. The biological phenomena of low dose ionising radiation (LDIR) includes bystander effects, adaptive response, hypersensitivity, radioresistance and genomic instability. In this review, the beneficial and the detrimental effects of LDIR-induced hormesis are explored, together with an overview of its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that may potentially provide an insight to the therapeutic implications to human health in the future

The Effect of Using Autocorrection on Improving Typing Skills for Female Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

This study aimed to identify the effect of the using autocorrection to improve typing skill for students with intellectual disabilities in the transition program. The sample of the study include four students with intellectual disabilities, who enrolled in the after-school day care program, whose ages range from (21-25) years, where they taught typing skills by applying autocorrection option on the (Microsoft Word) program. Using single subject design (multiple baseline design across participants), the results showed that all students improve their typing skills on three measures: total number of correct words, accuracy, and error rates. Keywords: autocorrection, computer printing, students with intellectual disabilitie

Studies on vascular response to full superantigens and superantigen derived peptides:Possible production of novel superantigen variants with less vasodilation effect for tolerable cancer immunotherapy

Superantigens (SAgs) are a class of antigens that cause non-specific activation of T-cells resulting in polyclonal T cell activation and massive cytokine release and causing symptoms similar to sepsis, e.g. hypotension and subsequent hyporeactivity. We investigated the direct effect of SAgs on vascular tone using two recombinant SAgs, SEA and SPEA. The roles of Nitric Oxide (NO) and potentially hyperpolarization, which is dependent on the K + channel activation, were also explored. The data show that SEA and SPEA have direct vasodilatory effects that were in part NO-dependent, but completely dependent on activation of K + channels. Our work also identified the functional regions of one of the superantigens, SPEA, that are involved in causing the vasodilation and possible hypotension. A series of 20 overlapping peptides, spanning the entire sequence of SPEA, were designed and synthesized. The vascular response of each peptide was measured, and the active peptides were identified. Our results implicate the regions, (61–100), (101–140) and (181–220) which cause the vasodilation and possible hypotension effects of SPEA. The data also shows that the peptide 181–220 exert the highest vasodilation effect. This work therefore, demonstrates the direct effect of SAgs on vascular tone and identify the active region causing this vasodilation. We propose that these three peptides could be effective novel antihypertensive drugs. We also overexpressed, in E.coli, four superantigens from codon optimized genes

Transorbital transnasal endoscopic combined approach to the anterior and middle skull base: a laboratory investigation

Orbital approaches provide significant trajectory to the skull base and are used with differently designed pathways. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of a combined transorbital and transnasal approach to the anterior and middle cranial fossa. Cadaveric dissection of five silicon-injected heads was used. A total of 10 bilateral transorbital approaches and 5 extended endonasal approaches were performed. Identification of surgical landmarks, main anatomical structures, feasibility of a combined approach and reconstruction of the superior orbital defect were examined. Rod lens endoscope (with 0° and 45° lenses) and endoscopic instruments were used to complete the dissection. The transorbital approach showed good versatility and provides the surgeon with a direct route to the anterior and middle cranial fossa. The transorbital avascular plane showed no conflict with major nerves or vessels. Large exposure area from crista galli to the third ventricle was demonstrated with significant control of different neurovascular structures. A combined transorbital transnasal approach provides considerable value in terms of extent of exposure and free hand movement of the two surgeons, and allows better visualisation and control of the ventral skull base, thus overcoming the current surgical limits of a single approach. Combination of these two minimally invasive approaches should reduce overall morbidity. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate the virtual applications of this approach

Use of social networking in the Middle East: student perspectives in higher education

This study aims to determine the benefits, risks, awareness, cultural factors, and sustainability, allied to social networking (SN) use in the higher education (HE) sector in Middle Eastern countries, namely Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Using an online survey, 1180 complete responses were collected and analyzed using the statistical confirmatory factor analysis method. The use of SN in the Middle Eastern HE sector has the capacity to promote and motivate students to acquire professional and personal skills for their studies and future workplace; however, the use of SN by tertiary students is also associated with several risks: isolation, depression, privacy, and security. Furthermore, culture is influenced by using SN use, since some countries shifted from one dimension to another based on Hofstede's cultural framework. The study new findings are based on a sample at a specific point in time within a culture. The study findings encourage academics to include SN in unit activities and assessments to reap the benefits of SN, while taking steps to mitigate any risks that SN poses to students. Although other studies in the Middle East examined the use of Learning Management System and Facebook in, HE as a means of engaging students in discussions and communications, however, this study contributes a better understanding of the benefits and risks, awareness, culture, and sustainability, associated with the use of SN in the HE sector in the Middle East. Finally, the paper concludes with an acknowledgment of the study limitations and suggestions for future research