Foreign and U.S Educated Faculty Members’ Views on What Constitutes Excellent Teaching: Effects of Gender and Discipline

This study identifies views of foreign-educated faculty who teach in American universities on what constitutes excellence in teaching based on different demographics using the online version of the Teacher Behavior Checklist. Faculty from 14 institutions within the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) were asked to rank the top 10 of 28 teacher qualities of excellent teaching. The final faculty sample consisted of 448 participants, of which 309 were United States-educated (US-educated), and 139 were foreign-educated. The majority of the foreign-educated faculty were from Asia and Europe. Results showed that both US- and foreign-educated faculty agreed on eight qualities as the most important for excellent teaching, although in different order. “Knowledgeable” and “enthusiastic” were generally ranked the number 1 and 2 top qualities. Foreign-educated faculty tended to rank “confident,” “effective communicator,” and “encourages and cares” significantly higher than US-educated faculty. There was a statistically significant difference between US- and foreign-educated faculty in ranking the top qualities between and within demographic characteristics (that is, gender and discipline). This study provides a significant contribution to the literature on perceived qualities of excellent teaching between foreign- and US-educated faculty as well as important information for higher education administrators responsible for educational development

Effect of Differential Speed Rolling Temperature into Mechanical Properties of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

The received AZ31B magnesium alloy sheets of 2 mm in thickness were subjected to differential speed rolling (DSR) process performed on a mill, of which the rotation speed ratio of the lower roll and upper one is kept at constant 1.15, by using the different upper and lower roller diameters. The influence of the rolled sheet temperature on the microstructure of the specimens was examined by optical microscopy, and elongation-to-failure of tensile test at temperature 623 K and initial strain-rate range between 0.5×10-3 - 1.83×10-3 s-1 was measured. The present process was found to be effective to refine the grain size. Grain refinement became more marked and uniform. The sheet DSRed at 473K exhibited the highest values of 340% and 0.35 for elongation-to-failure and strain rate sensitivity (m) respectively

The Poetic Nature of Titles and the Formation of the Feminine Self in Modern Jordanian Poetry

The study interrogates the titles of poems in the feminine poetic discourse in Jordan. It reveals how the dreamy vision, artistic imagery, and glittering glossary of the feminine poetic discourse in Jordan are formed in cases of loss and union. It does so through exploring the journey of the feminine self in a number of poems by the following Jordanian poetesses: Amina Al-Adwan, Shahla Al-Kayyali, Nabila Al-Khatib, Maha Al-Otoom, Kawthar Al-Zo’bi, Arwa Abutair, and Hikmat Al-Azzeh. The study relies on the analytical and stylistic method, employing its aesthetics and making use of its fertile semantic levels. According to the study, the poems under discussion are dominated by two narrative forms which pervade the female self. The first one is the narrative of memories, represented by memories of the past with a heart-dwelling beloved, where the acts of disclosure and bleeding go hand in hand. The second narrative is the narrative of dreams, in which the feminine self is in a state of infatuation; it, thus, excludes the past and ignores victory for the self, aiming to reach the highest degree of union with the beloved. The study concludes that the poems under discussion are mostly distinguished by their brevity, poetic condensation, and reliance on dialogism. This reinforces the productivity of the dramatic structure and enhances its level of aesthetics. Additionally, the study concludes that the use of action verbs in these poems equips them with a quick embedded rhythm that derives from the poetess’ self and pure soul

Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution In Euphrates River Water, Amiriyah Fallujah, Iraq.

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Fe, Ni and Pb) in water samples for the Euphrates River in Amiriyah Fallujah, Iraq were evaluated to assess the pollution level. Ten sites were selected along the study area and sampled during December 2013 to March 2014. The decreasing trend of metals were observed in water as  Pb > Fe > Cr > Cd > Ni. The concentration of the studied metals was higher than the recommended guidelines for drinking and aquatic life, indicated that the water is not safe for drinking and aquatic life uses. There were significant differences in the concentrations of heavy metal  during the sampling period. Heavy pollution index (HPI) results showed that the water was seriously polluted  with Cd, Cr and Pb. According to metal index (MI) results, the water is seriously threatened with metal pollution and unsafe for drinking, irrigation and aquatic life uses. Principal components analysis (PCA) suggests that the Cd, Cr and Pb are derived from anthropogenic sources. Keywords: River pollution; Pollution index, Metal Index; Euphrates; Ira

A Review on Security Challenges and Features in Wireless Sensor Networks: IoT Perspective

The Internet of Things is becoming a very promising paradigm with the extensive market adoption of the development of associated technologies, such as; cloud computing, near-field communications, wireless mobile networks, etc. This will expose the future direction of communication around the world. Wireless Sensor Networks together with the existing communication technologies are enabling the continuous integration of controlling and processing the functionality of the Internet of Things applications. Since Wireless Sensor Networks are typically deployed for gathering sensitive information from unattended or hostile environments, they are exposed for security attacks, which are strongly affecting the user privacy and the network performance. There are various security mechanisms and solutions for Wireless Sensor Networks that have been proposed in the previous works. Therefore, it is mandatory to give attention for its applicability and feasibility features in terms of related security challenges based on the Internet of Things perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to explore and show the influence of Wireless Sensor Networks security challenges within the perspective of the Internet of Things and its applications. Consequently, an exploration of the major and minor security requirements in the Wireless Sensor Networks has been made in this paper, accompanied by a classification of the available attacks and threats against these requirements. Finally, a discussion on the Internet of Things security issues and challenges in Wireless Sensor Networks is provided

Effect of Simulated Drought and Rainfall Fluctuation on Seedling Growth of Two Savannah Trees Species in Sudan: An Experimental Exploration = Szimulált aszály és csapadék ingadozás hatása két szavannai fafaj csemetéinek növekedésére Szudánban: egy kísérleti felfedezés

Climate change scenarios project that several regions, especially in dryland areas of sub-Saharan Africa, will undergo increasing aridity and, subsequently, expanding land degradation. The study aims to investigate the effect of two drying treatments on establishing and growing Hashab (Acacia senegal) and Boabab (Adansonia digitata) in nursery conditions. Through a 2×2 factorial experiment, seedlings grown in a mixture of silt and sand soil (2:3) were treated by irrigation intervals of one or two liters every three days for 14 weeks to simulate rainfall fluctuation patterns. Seedling germination rate, leaf number, stem height, and diameter were measured weekly; taproot length, shoot, and root dry weights were also assessed. The results showed that neither drying treatment significantly affected A. senegal and A. digitata seedling growth parameters. However, an interaction effect was found in the height and diameter for A. senegal and shoot dry weight for A. digitata. The study concluded that A. senegal and A. digitata seem tolerant to drying treatment. Therefore, the two species are recommended for afforestation programs in areas with relatively harsher conditions. Also, exposing the seedlings of these studied species to similar, extended periods of simulated drought (e.g., 6 – 12 months) is recommended for future studies. Az éghajlatváltozási forgatókönyvek szerint több régió, különösen a száraz területek a szubszaharai Afrikában, egyre szárazabbá válnak és ennek következtében a talajdegradáció is terjedni fog. A tanulmány célja a Hashab (Acacia senegal) és a Boabab (Adansonia digitata) két szárítási kezelésnek a csemetekerti körülmények közötti kialakulására és növekedésére gyakorolt hatásának vizsgálata. Egy 2×2 faktoriális kísérleten keresztül, amelyben magoncokat neveltünk homokos és iszapos talajkeverékben (2:3) öntözési intervallumokkal, amelyek 1 vagy 2 literes vízmennyiségeket kaptak minden 3. napon 14 hétig, hogy szimuláljuk a csapadékingadozásokat. A magoncok csírázási aránya, a levél- és a szár magassága, valamint átmérőjük hetente mérve lett, majd a hosszú gyökér, a hajtás és a gyökér száraz tömegeit értékeltük ki. Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy egyik szárítási kezelés sem volt hatással az A. senegal és az A. digitata magoncok növekedési paramétereire. Azonban interakciós hatást találtunk az A. senegal magasságára és átmérőjére, valamint az A. digitata hajtás száraz tömegére. A tanulmány arra a következtetésre jutott, hogy mind az A. senegal, mind az A. digitata toleránsnak tűnik a szárítási kezeléssel szemben, ezért mindkét faj ajánlható az erdősítési programokhoz olyan területeken, ahol viszonylag szélsőségesebbek a körülmények. A jövőbeni vizsgálatok során érdemes volna a vizsgált fajok csemetéit hosszabb ideig (pl. 6-12 hónap) szimulált aszálynak kitenni

Cathine and cathinone disposition kinetics and neurotransmitter profile in several organs of rats exposed to a single dose of Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. extract

Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. (Khat) is a stimulant plant that contains cathine and cathinone, which its abuses induce euphoria, alertness, and motor activity. Since the toxicokinetics of these substances remain unclear, this study was carried out to investigate the disposition kinetics of cathine and cathinone, the neurotransmitter profile, following a single dose of C. edulis extract in rats. Twenty-four adult male Wistar albino rats (250-300 g) were randomly selected and divided into six groups of four rats each. All groups received a single oral dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight, and blood and tissue samples from the brain, lung, heart, liver, and kidney were obtained at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 12, and 24 h. The cathine and cathinone concentrations were identified and quantified using ion trap ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-IT/MS). The neurotransmitter profile was detected using the quadrupole time of flight UPLC-QTOF/MS method. The lung, liver, and heart tissues attained the highest levels of cathine, while the highest level of cathinone was determined in the heart. Cathine and cathinone concentrations in the blood and heart peaked at 0.5 h. The concentrations peaked in the brain 2.5 h later, indicating that the heart had an immediate effect, whereas the brain had a longer-lasting one. They have longer half-lives (2.68 and 5.07 h, respectively) and may remain in the brain for longer durations (3.31 and 2.31 h, respectively). The neurotransmitters epinephrine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin were detected in a delayed, prolonged and organ-specific manner. Cathine and cathinone were deposited in considerable concentrations in all tissues analyzed, with the highest Cmax in the lung and Tmax in the heart tissues but not in the brain. In addition, neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin were differentially detected in all tested samples in a organ-specific fashion. More study is needed to identify cathine and cathinone's effects on neurotransmitter profiles. Nevertheless, these findings provided a further basis for experimental, clinical, and forensic investigations

Perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 among community members of low- and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional study [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background: Risk perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered important as they impact community health behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine the perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 and to assess the factors associated with such risk perceptions among community members in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, and South America. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 LMICs in Africa, Asia, and South America from February to May 2021. A questionnaire was utilized to assess the perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 and its plausible determinants. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with such risk perceptions. Results: A total of 1,646 responses were included in the analysis of the perceived risk of becoming infected and dying from COVID-19. Our data suggested that 36.4% of participants had a high perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, while only 22.4% had a perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Being a woman, working in healthcare-related sectors, contracting pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, as well as seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV were all associated with a higher perceived risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. In addition, being a woman, elderly, having heart disease and pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, and seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV had a higher perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Conclusions: The perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 are relatively low among respondents; this suggests the need to conduct health campaigns to disseminate knowledge and information on the ongoing pandemic

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London