E-learning adoption in higher education in Jordan: vision, reality and change

This paper discusses the implementation of an e-learning program at a Jordanian University (Al-Ahliyya Amman University). The program originally aimed to establish a virtual university which offers totally online courses but due to a number of reasons there had to be some changes in the implementation process. The paper discusses such changes and challenges faced by AAU in implementing its e-learning program from an IS project management point of view. Findings suggest that implementing such projects needs careful consideration of a variety of issues to ensure that the objectives are achieved. The case provides rich insights to other educational institutions wishing to implement such projects

Physical Activity and Obesity Indicators: National Cross Sectional Study on Lebanese Adults

Association between higher levels of physical activity and lower rates of obesity has been shown. The aim is to assess the relation between the prevalence of physical activity and the Physical Activity Index (PAI) of 300 Lebanese healthy adults, with age, gender, occupation, body mass indices and waist circumferences (WC). The cutoff points of WC for both genders were determined using the values of Body Mass Index (BMI). A cross-sectional study using self-reported valid questionnaire was conducted randomly on 150 men and 150 women, between 18 and 74 years, from Beirut region. Association between variables was performed using chi2, T-Test and ANOVA. Linear regression determined the WC cutoffs based on BMI. 22% of the population was obese with WC mean level of 92.47±14.4cm (87.71±14.4 cm for women and 97.24±12.96 cm for men). The prevalence of physical activity was 34% in overall population (27% in women and 40% in men).There was no significant association between BMI values and PAI (p< 0.085 for men and p< 0.300 for women). However there was an inverse association between WC values and PAI in both genders (p<0.043 in men and p< 0.036 in women). Linear regression showed WC cut-off point in Lebanese women with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and ≥30 kg/m2 of 86 cm and 100 cm respectively, whereas for men it was 92.12 cm and 105 cm respectively. The prevalence of physical activity in Beirut is low with differences among genders. The highest physical activity index is associated with the decreased values of waist circumference

Contrasting Surface Behavior of Rh (111) and Pt (111) Electrodes

Low energy electron diffraction and voltammetric measurements of the Rh(lll) electrode were conducted and compared with the corresponding surface and electrochemical characteristics of Pt (111). Rhodium is unstable upon exposure to water vapor or liquid water, but retains its well-defined character after immersion to aqueous media. This is reflected in the voltammetric behavior of the clean surface, as well as the manner in which carbon monoxide and iodine are adsorbed from solution. That is, a monolayer of an oxygen-containing species, assembled into (2X2) surface structure, can either be reduced by the voltammetric treatment or replaced by adsorbing solution components without causing system disorder. The voltammetry of the Rh (111) electrode, while exhibiting the main features of several metallic single crystal surfaces, differs significantly from that of platinum electrodes normalized to the same 2D geometry. From the voltam- me\u27ric behavior, it is concluded that adsorption of high energy hydrogen is not taking place on Rh (111). Equally important, the packing density and the surface structure of the Rh(lll) — CO differs from its Pt(lll) — CO analog. While iodine chemisorption from the gas phase leads to the development of several surface structures known from the corresponding platinum work, preferential formation of the_Pt (111) (V3 X V3)R30°—I structure against the Pt(lll)(V7X V7)R19.1°—I was demonstrated. Both electronic and structural factors contribute to the contrasting surface behavior brought to focus in this work

Factors That Hamper the Implementation of Constructability in the Gaza Strip

The subject of this research is about the barriers of constructability implementation in the Gaza strip. Therefore, this research aims at identifying the current implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip, clarifying the essential factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip and clarifying solutions, whenever possible, that would help the participants to apply the constructability principles, in addition to develop guidelines for the practitioners of the construction industry. The present investigation consists of literature review in subjects related to constructability to determine the hampering factors. Interviews with experts and from the researcher experience a questionnaire was designed incorporating all possible hampering factors in theGazastrip. The questionnaire is divided into two parts: The first part is related to the importance and affect of the barrier factors in construction industry in general. This part was completed by one of the main players of a project (Contractor, Consultant, Owner or their representatives). The second part is related to the degree of existence of these barrier factors in the project under study. This part is completed by the researcher, from the project documents and through interviews with one or more of those who engaged in the project under study. This research includes 28 case studies (projects), the result of data analysis of the respondents' answers and the case studies showed the followings: All hampering factors were given a high rating by respondents in terms of the importance and affect of the barrier factors in construction industry. About 54 % of the respondents have never heard of the constructability and its concepts before. The political factors and project management factors have scored the highest rate amongst the nine main factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Nature of the project factors and knowledge & experience factors has scored the lowest rate amongst the nine main factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Recurrent closure of crossings and absence of preassembling before project's execution have scored the highest rate amongst the 56 sub-factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in the Gaza strip. Project remoteness & lack of utilities and type of contract have scored the least rate amongst the 56 sub-factors that hamper the implementation of constructability in theGazastrip. Finally, the researcher has designed a framework that acts as a guideline for the construction industry's practioners to overcome barriers of constructability, in accordance with the appearance of the barrier factors in the project life cycle, in order to achieve the desired project objectives

Effect of Age and Lordotic Angle on the Level of Lumbar Disc Herniation

It has been previously suggested in the literature that with aging, degenerative changes as well as disc herniation start at the lower lumbar segments, with higher disc involvement observed in an ascending fashion in older age groups. We conducted a study to investigate this correlation between age and level of disc herniation, and to associate it with the magnitude of the Lumbar Lordotic Angle (LLA), as measured by Cobb's method. We followed retrospectively lumbosacral spine MRI's of 1419 patients with symptomatic disc herniation. Pearson's correlation was used in order to investigate the relationship between LLA, age, and level of disc herniation. Student's t-test was applied to assess gender differences. Young patients were found to have higher LLA (R = 0.44, P < 0.0001) and lower levels of disc herniation (R = 0.302, P < 0.0001), whereas older patients had higher level herniation in lower LLA group (mean LLA 28.6° and 25.4°) and lower level herniation in high LLA group (mean LLA 33.2°). We concluded that Lumbar lordotic Cobb's angle and age can be predictors of the level of lumbar disc herniation. This did not differ among men and women (R = 0.341, P < 0.0001)

Quality by Design Approach in Liposomal Formulations: Robust Product Development

Nanomedicine is an emerging field with continuous growth and differentiation. Liposomal formulations are a major platform in nanomedicine, with more than fifteen FDA-approved liposomal products in the market. However, as is the case for other types of nanoparticle-based delivery systems, liposomal formulations and manufacturing is intrinsically complex and associated with a set of dependent and independent variables, rendering experiential optimization a tedious process in general. Quality by design (QbD) is a powerful approach that can be applied in such complex systems to facilitate product development and ensure reproducible manufacturing processes, which are an essential pre-requisite for efficient and safe therapeutics. Input variables (related to materials, processes and experiment design) and the quality attributes for the final liposomal product should follow a systematic and planned experimental design to identify critical variables and optimal formulations/processes, where these elements are subjected to risk assessment. This review discusses the current practices that employ QbD in developing liposomal-based nano-pharmaceuticals

The puzzle of self-reported weight gain in a month of fasting (Ramadan) among a cohort of Saudi families in Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During Ramadan fast, approximately one billion Muslims abstain from food and fluid between the hours of sunrise to sunset, and usually eat a large meal after sunset and another meal before sunrise. Many studies reported good health-related outcomes of fasting including weight loss. The objective of this study is to identify the local pattern of expenditure on food consumption, dietary habits during Ramadan and correlate that to self-reported weight gain after Ramadan in a group of families in Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Cross-section study using a pre-designed questionnaire to identify the local pattern of expenditure on food consumption, dietary habits during Ramadan and correlate that to self-reported weight gain after Ramadan in a representative cohort of Saudis living in Jeddah. It was piloted on 173 nutrition students and administered by them to their families.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 173 Saudi families were interviewed. One out of 5 indicated that their expenditure increases during Ramadan. Approximately two thirds of the respondents (59.5%) reported weight gain after Ramadan. When asked about their perspective explanations for that: 40% attributed that to types of foods being rich in fat and carbohydrates particularly date in (Sunset meal) 97.7% and rice in (Dawn meal) 80.9%. One third (31.2%) indicated that it was due to relative lack of physical exercise in Ramadan and 14.5% referred that to increase in food consumption. Two thirds (65.2%) of those with increased expenditure reported weight gain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Surprisingly weight gain and not weight loss was reported after Ramadan by Saudis which indicates timely needed life-style and dietary modification programs for a population which reports one of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes.</p

Epigenetic Regulations of Cancer Stem Cells by the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Pathway

Compelling evidence has demonstrated that tumor bulk comprises distinctive subset of cells generally referred as cancer stem cells (CSCs) that has been proposed as a strong sustainer and promoter of tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. These distinguished properties of CSCs have raised interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern the maintenance of these cells. Numerous experimental and epidemiological studies have demonstrated that exposure to environmental toxins such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is strongly involved in cancer initiation and progression. The PAH-induced carcinogenesis is shown to be mediated through the activation of a cytosolic receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)/Cytochrome P4501A pathway, suggesting a possible direct link between AhR and CSCs. Several recent studies have investigated the role of AhR in CSCs self-renewal and maintenance, however the molecular mechanisms and particularly the epigenetic regulations of CSCs by AhR have not been reviewed before. In this review, we first summarize the crosstalk between AhR and cancer genetics, with particular emphasis on mechanisms relevant to CSCs such as Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Notch pathway, NF-κB pathway, PTEN-PI3K/Akt pathway and Drug Resistance-mediating pathways. The second part of this review discusses the recent advances and studies highlighting the epigenetic mechanisms mediated by the AhR pathway that control CSC gene expression, self-renewal, and chemoresistance in various human cancers. Furthermore, the review also sheds light on the importance of targeting the epigenetic pathways as a novel therapeutic approach against CSCs

A Survey of Air-to-Ground Propagation Channel Modeling for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), particularly for small UAVs, due to their affordable prices, ease of availability, and ease of operability. Existing and future applications of UAVs include remote surveillance and monitoring, relief operations, package delivery, and communication backhaul infrastructure. Additionally, UAVs are envisioned as an important component of 5G wireless technology and beyond. The unique application scenarios for UAVs necessitate accurate air-to-ground (AG) propagation channel models for designing and evaluating UAV communication links for control/non-payload as well as payload data transmissions. These AG propagation models have not been investigated in detail when compared to terrestrial propagation models. In this paper, a comprehensive survey is provided on available AG channel measurement campaigns, large and small scale fading channel models, their limitations, and future research directions for UAV communication scenarios

Mapping research activity on mental health disorders in Europe: Study protocol for the Mapping_NCD project

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Mental health disorders (MHDs) constitute a large and growing disease burden in Europe, although they typically receive less attention and research funding than other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study protocol describes a methodology for the mapping of MHD research in Europe as part of Mapping_NCD, a 2-year project funded by the European Commission which seeks to map European research funding and impact for five NCDs in order to identify potential gaps, overlaps, synergies and opportunities, and to develop evidence-based policies for future research. Methods: The project aims to develop a multi-focal view of the MHD research landscape across the 28 European Union Member States, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, through a survey of European funding entities, analysis of research initiatives undertaken in the public, voluntary/not-for-profit and commercial sectors, and expert interviews to contextualize the gathered data. The impact of MHD research will be explored using bibliometric analyses of scientific publications, clinical guidelines and newspaper stories reporting on research initiatives. Finally, these research inputs and outputs will be considered in light of various metrics that have been proposed to inform priorities for the allocation of research funds, including burden of disease, treatment gaps and cost of illness. Discussion: Given the growing burden of MHDs, a clear and broad view of the current state of MHD research is needed to ensure that limited resources are directed to evidence-based priority areas. MHDs pose a particular challenge in mapping the research landscape due to their complex nature, high co-morbidity and varying diagnostic criteria. Undertaking such an effort across 31 countries is further challenged by differences in data collection, healthcare systems, reimbursement rates and clinical practices, as well as cultural and socioeconomic diversity. Using multiple methods to explore the spectrum of MHD research funding activity across Europe, this project aims to develop a broad, high-level perspective to inform priority setting for future research