Relationship Between Organisational Trust and Decision - Making Participation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of trust among the Amman Education Directorates and how much educational supervisors participated in decision-making. The study sample is made up of 240 academic supervisors. The study’s findings showed that the Education Directorate appeared to have a moderate level of faith in organizational elements such management style, administrative policies, creative possibilities, and organizational values. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant relationship between organizational trust and the level of involvement in decision-making processes, with a significance level of (a≤0.5). However, no statistically significant variations in the sample members’ replies according to their gender, education, or experience were found. Based on these findings, the research recommends that educational directors give priority to strengthening supervisors’ organizational commitment to support educational policies that promote trust and provide them chances to apply their creative thinking to administrative tasks

The relationship between psychological stress and mindfulness among outstanding students in the school basic stage

Introduction. Outstanding students frequently experience psychological stress in many facets of their lives, which impedes their capacity for self-expression, self-control, and problem-solving. It negatively impacts both their physical and mental health in several ways. On the other hand, it has been discovered that mindfulness practices improve physical and sensory well-being and help with stress and anxiety management. Aim. The present research aimed to find out how much psychological stress outstanding students at the primary stage experienced and how that stress is related to mindfulness. Methodology and research methods. A total of 232 kids between the ages of 10 and 14 were involved in the study; they were specifically chosen based on their academic records. Students have to meet the selection requirements with grades higher than 90% in every subject. A questionnaire including a 50- item psychological stress measure with three-point Likert ratings and a mindfulness scale was used to collect data. Results. According to the research outcomes, outstanding students had high levels of mindfulness and low levels of psychological stress. There is a negative correlation between psychological stress and mindfulness. Additionally, there were no appreciable gender differences in the study measures of mindfulness or psychological stress. Scientific novelty. Based on the study findings, psychological stress negatively affects outstanding students’ physical and mental health and surges their levels of fatigue, tension, and poor focus. It also underlined how psychological stress is detrimental to the students’ psychological health. Accordingly, it is recommended to practise mindfulness as a helpful tactic for managing students’ psychological stress and keeping students from feeling overburdened. Achieving mental health is vital for students in all domains of their lives. Practical significance. The study provides valuable insights and practical recommendations for stakeholders. It suggests the development of psychological and educational counselling programmes that incorporate mindfulness strategies for outstanding students. It also emphasises the need for proactive planning and the implementation of strategies to mitigate psychological stress in students while addressing their developmental and curative needs. The study results can assist researchers and educators in designing educational and counselling programmes catering to outstanding students’ psychological, social and educational needs. Furthermore, the results can help teachers understand the intricate relationship between mindfulness and psychological stress. Specifically, cultivating acceptance as an attitude can directly contribute to reducing psychological stress, making it essential for teachers to guide students in practising mindfulness as a stress management tool.Введение. Выдающиеся ученики часто испытывают психологический стресс во многих аспектах своей жизни, что ограничивает их способность к самовыражению, самоконтролю и решению проблем. Это негативно влияет как на их физическое, так и на психическое здоровье по нескольким причинам. Также было обнаружено, что практика осознанности улучшает физическое и сенсорное благополучие и помогает справиться со стрессом и тревогой. Цель. Целью этого исследования было выяснить, какой психологический стресс испытывают выдающиеся иорданские ученики на начальном этапе школьного образования и как этот стресс связан с осознанностью. Методология, методы и методики. В исследовании приняли участие 232 ребенка в возрасте от 10 до 14 лет; они были выбраны специально на основе их академических достижений. Ученики должны соответствовать отборочным требованиям и иметь оценки выше 90 % по каждому предмету. Для сбора данных использовалась анкета, включающая в себя опросник психологического стресса из 50 пунктов с трехбалльной оценкой Лайкерта и шкалу осознанности. Результаты. Согласно исследованию, выдающиеся ученики имели высокий уровень внимательности и низкий уровень психологического стресса. Существует отрицательная корреляция между психологическим стрессом и внимательностью. Кроме того, не было выявлено заметных гендерных различий в показателях внимательности или психологического стресса. Научная новизна. Согласно результатам исследования, психологический стресс негативно влияет на физическое и психическое здоровье выдающихся учеников, повышает их уровень утомляемости и напряжения, снижает концентрацию внимания. Кроме того, подчеркнуто, насколько вреден такой стресс для психологического здоровья учеников. Соответственно, ученикам рекомендуется практиковать осознанность как полезную тактику управления психологическим стрессом и предотвращения чувства перегруженности учащихся. Достижение психического здоровья жизненно важно для учеников во всех сферах их жизни. Практическая значимость. Исследование предоставляет ценную информацию и практические рекомендации для заинтересованных сторон. Также исследование предлагает разработку программ психологического и образовательного консультирования, включающих стратегии осознанности для выдающихся учащихся. Подчеркивается необходимость упреждающего планирования и реализации стратегий по смягчению психологического стресса у учащихся при одновременном удовлетворении их потребностей в развитии и профилактической помощи. Результаты исследования могут помочь исследователям и преподавателям в разработке образовательных и консультативных программ, отвечающих психологическим, социальным и образовательным потребностям выдающихся учеников. Кроме того, результаты могут помочь учителям понять сложную взаимосвязь между осознанностью и психологическим стрессом. В частности, развитие принятия как отношения может напрямую способствовать снижению психологического стресса, поэтому учителям крайне важно направлять учащихся на практику осознанности как инструмента управления стрессом

Unexpected differential metabolic responses of Campylobacter jejuni to the abundant presence of glutamate and fucose

Introduction: Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne bacterial enteritis in humans, and yet little is known in regard to how genetic diversity and metabolic capabilities among isolates affect their metabolic phenotype and pathogenicity. Objectives: For instance, the C. jejuni 11168 strain can utilize both l-fucose and l-glutamate as a carbon source, which provides the strain with a competitive advantage in some environments and in this study we set out to assess the metabolic response of C. jejuni 11168 to the presence of l-fucose and l-glutamate in the growth medium. Methods: To achieve this, untargeted hydrophilic liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was used to obtain metabolite profiles of supernatant extracts obtained at three different time points up to 24 h. Results: This study identified both the depletion and the production and subsequent release of a multitude of expected and unexpected metabolites during the growth of C. jejuni 11168 under three different conditions. A large set of standards allowed identification of a number of metabolites. Further mass spectrometry fragmentation analysis allowed the additional annotation of substrate-specific metabolites. The results show that C. jejuni 11168 upon l-fucose addition indeed produces degradation products of the fucose pathway. Furthermore, methionine was faster depleted from the medium, consistent with previously-observed methionine auxotrophy. Conclusions: Moreover, a multitude of not previously annotated metabolites in C. jejuni were found to be increased specifically upon l-fucose addition. These metabolites may well play a role in the pathogenicity of this C. jejuni strain.</p

Obesity Paradox among Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Objectives: There is consensus on the negative effects of obesity on the development of heart failure. However, several studies have suggested that obesity may have paradoxical survival benefits in heart failure patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether the obesity paradox exists in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients in Jordan. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data were retrieved from electronic hospital records of heart failure patients admitted to King Abdullah University Hospital between January 2010 and January 2020. Patients were divided into five BMI (kg/m2) subgroups: (1) Less than 25.0, (2) Overweight 25.0–29.9, (3) Obese Class I 30.0–34.9, (4) Obese Class II 35.0–39.9, and (5) Obese Class III ≥40.0. Changes in patients’ clinical and echocardiographic parameters over one year were analyzed. Results: Data of a total of 297 patients were analyzed to determine the effect of obesity on heart failure. The mean age was 64.6 ± 12.4 years, and most patients (65.7%) were male. Among several co-morbidities, diabetes mellitus and hypertension were the most common and were present in 81.8% and 81.1% of patients, respectively. Over all patients, there was no significant change in EF after 1 year compared to baseline. However, only patients in the Obese Class I group had a statistically significant improvement in EF of 38.0 ± 9.81% vs. 34.8 ± 6.35% (p = 0.004) after 1 year. Importantly, among non-diabetic individuals, only Obese Class I patients had a significant (p p Conclusions: Our study demonstrates an inverted U-shaped relationship between BMI and EF such that patients with mild obesity (i.e., Obese Class I) had significant improvement in EF compared to those having a lower and higher BMI. We, therefore, suggest the existence of the obesity paradox among HFrEF patients in Jordan

The Effect of Long-Term Second-Generation Antipsychotics Use on the Metabolic Syndrome Parameters in Jordanian Population

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of metabolic syndrome in patients treated with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed patients&rsquo; electronic medical records (EMRs) of all patients who received one SGA for at least six months, excluding patients who were taking other medications that are associated with significant effect on metabolic syndrome. Relevant clinical information was collected prior to starting the SGA and after six months of continuous use of the same SGA. Results: A total of 91 patients were included in the study. The majority of patients (72%) were diagnosed with schizophrenia. After six months of taking the SGA, 44% of patients experienced elevated systolic pressure, 54.9% had elevated triglyceride, and 31.9% had impaired glucose levels (p value &lt; 0.05). Prior to initiating SGA therapy, 14.3% of patients had metabolic syndrome, while 37.4% had metabolic syndrome after six months of therapy, and it was more prominent in males compared to female patients (p value &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: This study found a strong correlation between SGA use and the appearance of metabolic alterations, such as weight gain, glucose intolerance, and increased triglyceride levels. These findings highlight the importance of assessing metabolic deregulations to minimize SGA associated metabolic abnormalities

Peak Slope Ratio of the Recruitment Curves Compared to Muscle Evoked Potentials to Optimize Standing Configurations with Percutaneous Epidural Stimulation after Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Percutaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation (pSCES) has effectively restored varying levels of motor control in persons with motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Studying and standardizing the pSCES configurations may yield specific motor improvements. Previously, reliance on the amplitude of the SCES-evoked potentials (EPs) was used to determine the correct stimulation configurations. Methods: We, hereby, retrospectively examined the effects of wide and narrow-field configurations on establishing the motor recruitment curves of motor units of three different agonist–antagonist muscle groups. Magnetic resonance imaging was also used to individualize SCI participants (n = 4) according to their lesion characteristics. The slope of the recruitment curves using a six-degree polynomial function was calculated to derive the slope ratio for the agonist–antagonist muscle groups responsible for standing. Results: Axial damage ratios of the spinal cord ranged from 0.80 to 0.92, indicating at least some level of supraspinal connectivity for all participants. Despite the close range of these ratios, standing motor performance was enhanced using different stimulation configurations in the four persons with SCI. A slope ratio of ≥1 was considered for the recommended configurations necessary to achieve standing. The retrospectively identified configurations using the supine slope ratio of the recruitment curves of the motor units agreed with that visually inspected muscle EPs amplitude of the extensor relative to the flexor muscles in two of the four participants. Two participants managed to advance the selected configurations into independent standing performance after using tonic stimulation. The other two participants required different levels of assistance to attain standing performance. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the peak slope ratio of the muscle agonists–antagonists recruitment curves may potentially identify the pSCES configurations necessary to achieve standing in persons with SCI