Sharing School Leadership: Principalship Empowerment or Relegation?

In current developments concerning school leadership, the assumption of a single individual taking responsibility for and controlling every single aspect of running a school from the most crucial concern to the most trivial has been put on trial. In the modern approach to school administration, a distributed leadership model is proposed and introduced as a source of empowering teachers towards collective responsibility, creating accountability and developing a sense of encouragement for participating in the decision-making process. However, with the application of these theories in school sectors, the question remains as to whether the implications of sharing or distributing school leadership power were considered when the model was first created. In other words, at a minimum deep deliberation is required during the application due to the potential impacts or repercussions that sharing or distributing leadership and power might have on the role and position of principalship. This paper sheds light on the effectiveness of distribution and shared leadership in a school setting, examining the level of power to be shared, and the extent of trust and professional training given to teachers prior to power distributio

Suitability of spiders and rove beetles as indicators for assessment of effects of cultivation-rearrangement from conventional to ecological farming

Im Gebiet des Ökohofes Seeben ließen sich im Verlauf von 4 Jahren arten- und individuenreiche Webspinnen- und Kurzflüglerzönosen registrieren (LÜBKE-AL HUSSEIN & AL HUSSEIN 1999; AL HUSSEIN 2002). Zu Beginn der Untersuchungen wurde die Arbeitshypothese formuliert: Die Fauna eines Agrar-Ökosystems wird durch die Intensität der Landbewirtschaftung sowie durch landschaftsräumliche Gliederung des Gebietes entscheidend geprägt. Die Umstellung eines bislang konventionell wirtschaftenden Betriebes auf ökologischen Landbau und die damit einhergehende Strukturierung ausgeräumter Flächen durch Feldraine, Hecken oder auch nur den streifenweisen Anbau mehrerer Kulturen auf einem Großschlag bewirkt eine Erhöhung der Faunendiversität. Die wachsende Diversität der Tierwelt begünstigt selbstregulative Prozesse der Agrozönose und wirkt dadurch stabilisierend auf das Ökosystem. Das Forschungsvorhaben kann als ein "Langzeit-Experiment" aufgefaßt werden, wobei die Anfangsbedingungen vor der Betriebsumstellung als referenzzustand dienen (HÜLSBERGEN & DIEPENBROCK, 2000). Webspinnen und Kurzflügelkäfer zählen zu den arten- und individuenreichsten Tiergruppen der Agrarlandschaft. Sie leben fast ausnahmslos räuberisch und spielen als Regulatoren von Schadinsektenpopulationen besonders im ökologischen Landbau eine bedeutende Rolle. Aufgrund ihrer Sensibilität gegenüber Umwelteinflüssen eignen sie sich als Indikatoren. Insbesondere Webspinnen werden für derartige Untersuchungen herangezogen. Einige können sogar als Zeigerarten angesehen werden. Bei vorliegenden Erhebungen galt es u. a. zu prüfen, inwieweit die weniger untersuchten Kurzflügler im Vergleich zu den Webspinnen zu derartigen Fragestellungen herangezogen werden können.From 1994 to 1997 investigations have been carried out on fields of the “Ökohof Seeben” in the North of Halle (Saale) refering to long-term effects of ecological farming on spiders and rove beetles. Two fields were selected in the northern part of the eco-farm representing different types of landscape. The question was whether ecological farming results in an increasing biodiversity over longer periods. For sampling of these arthropods pitfall traps were used. As a whole the communities of spiders and rove beetles were rich in species and individuals. The rearrangement from conventional to ecological agriculture did not provide the expected increase of biodiversity, but it showed positive tendencies such as the homogeneity of dominance structures and an increase of the number of species larger in size. The investigated parameters were influenced through different factors, e.g. the spiders more by field size and rove beetles especially by crop rotation. The occurrence of rove beetles depends on their high substrate specification and the existence of ecological niches, too. Such as these investigations should be carried out as long-term-experiments, because shorter experiments may lead to misinterpretations

Performance, genetic variation and interrelationships in different traits of some safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) genotypes

   The success of safflower improvement and production activities can be enhanced with scientific information generated from the study of genotypes, environments and genotype by environment interactions (GEI). In this study, 15 safflower genotypes were evaluated during two consecutive winter seasons (2013/14 and 2014/15) at three locations viz Gezira, El- Suki and Hudeiba Research Station farms of the Agricultural Research Corporation, Sudan. The objectives of this study were to evaluate seed yield potential, the extent of genetic variability and interrelationships in 15 safflower genotypes under different environments in Sudan. Data were collected on days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitula, 100 seed weight (g), seed yield (kg/ha), and oil content. A wide range of genetic variability was observed among the genotypes for most of the studied traits. The results also indicated that the tallest genotype (Saff 1) was the latest maturing, and the shortest genotype (Saff 13) was the earliest maturing. Simple linear correlation and path coefficient analyses indicated that days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of branches/plant and number of capitula per plant could be used as potential selection criteria in breeding programs for developing high yielding safflower genotypes. Genotypes Saff 1, Saff 12 and Saff 14 were high yielders (582.4, 507.9 and 572.8, kg/ha, respectively). Also, Saff 14 showed the highest oil content (37.5 %) followed by Saff 12 (31.0 %) and Saff 1 (29.1 %), therefore, they could be grown successfully under irrigated winter condition of central and northern Sudan.       القرطم من المحاصيل الزيتية المهمة في العالم، وفي السودان يزرع المحصول فقط في الولاية الشمالية في المساحة الواقعة علي طول النيل. إن نجاح تحسينِ محصول القرطمِ ونشاطاتِ إنتاجِه يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُحَسّنا بالمعلومات العلمية التي تنتج منْ دراسة التراكيب الوراثية. قُيّمَت في هذه الدراسةِ خمسة عشرَ تركيباً وراثياً من القرطمَ علي مدي فصلي شتاء متتاليينِ (2013/14-2014/15) في ثلاثة مواقعِ هي محطات بحوث الجزيرة و السوكي والحديبة التابعة لهيئة البحوث الزراعية بالسودان. هدفت الدراسةِ إلي تُقييم هذه التراكيب الوراثية من حيث الانتاجية  ومكوّناتِها و دراسة العلاقات المترابطة بين الانتاجية والصفات المرتبطة بها بإستعمال الإرتباطَ الخطي البسيط و معامل تحليل المسار وتمييز التراكيب الأعلى إنتاجية. كانت الصفات المدروسة هي عدد الأيام حتي 50%  إزهار و عدد الأيام حتي النضج و طول النبات و عدد الفروع بالنبات و عدد الكبسولات بالنبات و عدد البذور بالكبسولة و وزن المائة حبة بالجرام و الإنتاجية بالكيلوجرام للهكتار ونسبة الزيت بالبذور. أوضحت النتائج وجود مدي واسع من التباين الوراثي بين التراكيب الوراثية لمعظم الصفات المدروسة. أوضحت النَتائِج إلي أنّ التركيب الوراثي (Saff 1) هو الاطول من بين التراكيب الوراثية الاخري و متأخر النُضُج، بينما التركيب الوراثي (Saff 13) مبكر النُضُج وهوأقصرالتراكيب الوراثية. من ناحية أخري، باستخدام الارتباط الخطي البسيط ومعامل تحليل المسار، أوضحت الدراسة  أن صفات عدد أيام 50% إزهار و طول النبات و عدد الفروع في النبات و عدد الرؤوس بالنبات يمكن استعمالهما كصفات إنتخاب غير مباشر في برامج التربية لاستنباط أصناف عالية الإنتاجية من القرطم. خلصت الدراسة إلي أن التراكيب الوراثية Saff 1 و Saff 12 و Saff 14 كانت عالية الإنتاجيةً ( 582.4 ، 507.9 و 572.8 :جم/ ه علي التوالي)، كما وأن التركيب الوراثي  Saff 14 له أعلي محتوي من نسبة الزيت  (37.5 %)  يعقبه في ذلك  (31.0 %) Saff 12    و(29.1 %) Saff 1   لذلك يمكن زراعتها بنجاح  تحت ظروف الري الشتوي بأواسط وشمال بالسودان

Assessment of genotype x environment interactions and stability for seed yield of selected safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) genotypes in central and northern Sudan

   Safflower is an important oilseed crop worldwide. In Sudan, safflower is only cultivated in the Northern State along the River Nile. The success of safflower improvement and production activities can be enhanced with scientific information generated from the study of genotypes, environments and genotype by environment interactions (GEI). In this study, 15 safflower genotypes were evaluated during two consecutive winter seasons (2013/14 and 2014/15) at three locations viz Gezira, El- Suki and Hudeiba Research Station Farms of the Agricultural Research Corporation, Sudan. The objectives of this study were to estimate G x E interactions and identify the highest yielding and stable genotypes under different environments. A wide range of genetic variability was observed among the genotypes for most of the studied traits. Combined analyses of variance revealed highly significant environment, genotype and genotype x environment (GE) component of interaction and indicated wide differences among the environments and differential genotypic behavior to the tested environments. Additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) analyses have higher efficiency in partitioning and analyzing stability studies compared to regression analysis. First and second principal component axis (PCA 1 and PCA 2) in AMMI explained 64.6% and 25.3% of the interaction sum of squares, respectively, and together they accounted for 89.9 % of the G X E sum of squares, while the regression model accounted only for 13.8% of the G X E sum of squares. Hence, AMMI analysis was superior to regression techniques in accounting for the large part of the G X E sum of squares and more effective in partitioning the interaction sum of squares. In conclusion, genotypes Saff 1, Saff 12 and Saff 14 were high yielding (582.4, 507.9 and 572.8, kg/ha, respectively) and stable under all environments. Therefore, they are recommended to be grown under winter irrigated conditions of central and northern Sudan.     يعتبر القرطم من المحاصيل الزيتية المهمة في العالم و يزرع في السودان فقط في الولاية الشمالية في المساحة الواقعة علي طول النيل. إن نجاح تحسينِ محصول القرطمِ ونشاطاتِ إنتاجِه يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُحَسّنا بالمعلومات العلمية التي تنتج منْ دراسة التراكيب الوراثية وتفاعلاتِ البيئة والتفاعل بين التراكيب الوراثية والبيئة. قُيّمَت في هذه الدراسةِ خمسة عشرَ تركيباً وراثياً من القرطمَ علي مدي فصلي شتاء متتاليينِ (2013/14-2014/15) في ثلاثة مواقعِ هي محطات بحوث الجزيرة و السوكي والحديبة التابعة لهيئة البحوث الزراعية بالسودان. هدفت الدراسةِ إلي تُقييم هذه التراكيب الوراثية من حيث الانتاجية  ومكوّناتِها و دراسة التفاعل بين البيئة و التراكيب الوراثية المختلفة وتمييز التراكيب الوراثية الأعلى إنتاجية و المستقرةّ في البيئاتِ المختلفة. أوضحت النتائج وجود مدي واسع من التباين الوراثي بين التراكيب الوراثية لمعظم الصفات المدروسة. أيضاً أظهرت النتائج وجود فروقات معنوية كبيرة بين التراكيب الوراثية و البيئة والتفاعل بينهما. أوضحت الدراسة أنه في طريقة الأثر التجميعي الرئيسي والتفاعل المتراكم لتحليل التباين  (AMMI)الناتج عن التفاعل بين التركيب الوراثي والبيئة أن محور المكون الأول والثاني قد  فسرا حوالي 64.6 % و25.3 %، علي التوالي من هذا التباين، بينما وجد في طريقة معامل الارتدادEberhart and Russell’s (1966)  أنه قد فُّسَر حوالي 13.8 % منه. عليه فإن طريقة الأثر التجميعي الرئيسي والتفاعل المتراكم أعلي كفاءةً من طريقة معامل الارتداد الخطي في تقسيم التباين الناتج عن التفاعل بين التراكيب الوراثية والبيئة. خلصت الدراسة إلي أن التراكيب الوراثية Saff 1 و Saff 12و Saff 14 كانت عالية الإنتاجيةً ولها ثباتاً وراثياً في كل بيئات التقييم  لذلك يوصى  بزراعتها بنجاح  تحت ظروف الري الشتوي بأواسط وشمال السودا

A REVIEW OF HEALTH OUTCOME INSTRUMENTS FOR ASTHMATIC CHILDREN & THEIR CAREGIVERS

There are various developed general-as well as disease-or condition-specific health outcome instruments to assess an impact of asthma among asthmatic children but few of these instruments were developed in paired versions of child and caregiver. The objective of this review was to determine currently available unpaired and paired health outcome instruments for asthmatic children and their caregivers. Systemic search from Medline, Scopus and Science Direct was conducted to identify asthmatic children's and their caregivers' health outcomes tracking instruments that characterize basic properties of instruments such as instrument's developer and the published year, instrument's description, targeted age and time for completion, items and domains, administration way, scoring and scaling of instrument, type of study setting, tested sample size, availability of instrument in different languages, reliability and validity of the instrument. The results showed in total, 21 instruments were identified whereby 16 of them were administered by either asthmatic children or their caregivers, and remaining (n = 5) have paired version that was administered directly to both asthmatic children and their caregivers. Most of these instruments reported good validity and reliability (Cronbach's alpha between 0.60-0.95). There is a need to develop more paired disease-specific health outcome instruments targeted both asthmatic children and their caregivers to get full data of the impact and burden of asthma and its health intervention on the respective respondents.Â

Design and implementation of remotely monitoring system for pH level in Baghdad drinking water networks

Many people in the recent days have suffering from number of diseases due to unsafe and impure drinking water, especially in rural areas. As typical laboratory experiments and official water quality tests take considerable amount of time to obtain results and due to non availability of a simple device that can measure such water quality parameters in real time, therefore in this paper a remote pH level monitoring system for Baghdad drinking water system is proposed. A PH level sensing and monitoring nodes are distributed at different location. These nodes are proactively measured pH level of water and send data to the maintenance center to give them overall picture about pH level via global position system (GSM). This proposed system gives a robust, low-cost and effective method for the drinking water maintenance center to measure and monitoring the water quality in real time environment

Definitive salvage chemotherapy for the treatment of refractory/relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a single center experience

Objective: Non Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL)s are a group of malignancies which affect the lymphatic system. A significant proportion of NHL patients experience either relapse or failure of treatment which is called refractory disease. Relapsed or refractory NHL usually have poor prognosis due to shortage of randomized trials comparing efficacy of different treatment protocols to define the optimal salvage chemotherapy regimen in these cases. In this study, we are trying to define the best salvage chemotherapy regimen with low toxicity and better quality of life for patients by comparing outcome of 2 salvage chemotherapy regimens GDP & DHAP.Patients and methods: 100 patients diagnosed as relapsed or refractory NHL were randomly assigned to receive either Gemcitabine, Dexamethasone and Cisplatin (GDP) or Dexamethasone, Cytarabine and Cysplatin (DHAP) for 4 to 6 cycles. Primary endpoints of the study were overall survival and progression free survival. Secondary endpoints were response to treatment, toxicity profile of each regimen, and quality of life assessment.Results: The overall response rate was 70% in GDP group & 64% in DHAP group with no statistically significant difference between them (p-value 0.5). There was no significant difference between both groups regarding toxicity profile except in febrile neutropenia episodes which was much less in GDP group (p-value 0.04). Quality of life was better in GDP group than DHAP with significant difference (p-value < 0.05). There was no statistical significant difference between both groups regarding OS or PFS.Conclusion: GDP is as effective as DHAP for relapsed or refractory lymphoma with less toxicity and better quality of life.Keywords: DHAP, GDP, NHL, Relapsed, Refractory lymphom

Computer ethics awareness among undergraduate students in Malaysian higher education institutions

This study investigates the ethical awareness of computer use among undergraduate computer science students at two public Malaysian universities. One hundred and fifty-nine students were asked to evaluate the code of ethics pertaining to computer ethics. A comparison of undergraduate computer science students between two public universities was done to determine the level of ethical awareness of computer use. Independent Samples T-test for differences was performed across four distinct groups, that is, university, gender, age, and duration of computer use. The results of the tests conducted indicate that the ethical awareness of computer use of the students differ most significantly on the basis of the university itself. There were minimal differences across gender, age and duration of computer use. This suggests that computer ethics awareness training is needed for university users. The results are discussed and the implications for studies in an education context are outlined

Investigations on the influence of conservation tillage strategies on the composition of the soil mesofauna by using the litter-bag-method

Elemente der Bodenmesofauna gehören gerade in pfluglosen Anbausystemen zu den bedeutendsten Primärzersetzern von Ernterückständen. Für den Rotteprozess, der nicht nur für die Pflanzengesundheit von größter Bedeutung ist, spielen sie damit eine entscheidende Rolle. Während Effekte der Bodenbearbeitung auf die mikrobielle Biomasse in den letzten Jahrzehnten Gegenstand zahlreicher Feldstudien waren, sind entsprechende Erhebungen zur Bodenmesofauna vergleichsweise rar und darüber hin in ihren Aussagen teilweise widersprüchlich. Positive Effekte auf Streuabbau durch reduzierte Intensität der Bodenbearbeitung konnten Heiber & Eisenbeis (1999) nachweisen. Vorliegende Untersuchungen sollten klären, welche Auswirkungen die Bodenbearbeitung auf die vielfältigen Zönosen der Bodenmesofauna eines intensiv ackerbaulich genutzten Lößstandortes hat.The soil mesofauna has an important role for the decomposition of organic materials in non-till cultivation systems. The investigations have been carried out on fields of Lüttewitz (Saxony, Germany). There were investigated 4 cultivation variants, which were still used on each plot more than 10 years: plough; mulch sowing with deep loosening; mulch till with shallow loosening and direct drilling. In each variant 20 litterbags (mesh size: 2 mm; litter weight: 20 g); (exposition period: spring till early summer 2006) were placed under the soil surface. To investigate the possible effects of the litter size on the colonization by the soil mesofauna, two litter variants (Maize chopped straw fine/cereals straw rough) were used. The litterbags were controlled at three times. At first a wet-extraction was carried out to estimate the dense of Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta). Afterwards a dry extraction of the mesofauna with the Tullgren-method followed to find out the amount of mites (Oribatida and Acaridida) and Collembola, which are important for decomposition of the litter. Among the Oribatida the species Tectocepheus velatus and Oppiella nova reached high densities. The predatory Gamasina were dominated by the families Rhodacaridae, Parasitidae, Ascidae, Veigaiaidae, Macrochelidae and Zerconidae. All times the fine litter in all plots was stronger colonized. In rough litter the part of Gamasina as predators was lower than the decomposer groups. With the declining of the intensity of tillage the colonization of the litter-bags increased. In the variant mulch-till (with shallow loosening) the highest densities of individuals were found. The registered numbers often were higher as in the plots with direct drilling

Corporate tax disclosure: A review of concepts, theories, constraints, and benefits

The aim of this paper is to offer an impression of the issues raised by the disclosure of companies’ tax information by supplying existing and historical viewpoints from the aspects of concepts, theory, constraints, benefits and measurements. We are concerned that full disclosure of organizations' tax information could result in firms weakening tax information, hampering tax enforcement, and maybe, in a weakened structure, disclosing private data that could give a competitive benefit to those organizations that are not requested to do such a disclosure. Hence, some studies do not underpin full disclosure. On the other hand, full tax disclosure could have numerous beneficial impacts. It might put pressure on regulators to develop the tax system and it might incite companies to oppose aggressive tax decrease strategies.We anticipate and expect interested parties to take into consideration the best practices of tax disclosure in implementing their future plans