Fenoolsed ühendid kui fütopatogeeni Pectobacterium wasabiae voogamist kontrollivad signaalmolekulid

Taimepatogeenide levimise piiramiseks on oluline mõista nende liikumist taimes. Selleks kasutatakse meie uurimisgrupis mudelorganismina märgmädanikku põhjustavat Pectobacterium wasabiae SCC3193 tüve. Selles bakalaurusetöös analüüsitakse nii metanooliga kartulimugulatest ekstraheeritud fenoolsete ühendite kui ka üksikute fenoolsete ühendite, nagu salitsüülhape ja klorogeenhape, mõju mudelorganismi voogamisele in vitro

Escherichia coli 16S rRNA 3’ otsa tuvastamine S1 nukleaasiga

Persistorid on uinuvolekus bakterid, mida antibiootikumid ei tapa ning need takistavad krooniliste bakterinakkuste ravi. Persistorid on paljuski sõltuvad toksiin-antitoksiin (TA) süsteemidest. Selleks, et paremini mõista TA süsteemide rolli persistorite tekkes, kasutatakse antud töös Escherichia coli-t mudelorganismina, et uurida MazE-MazF TA süsteemi toksiini MazF mõju ribosomaalse RNA lõikamisele, tuvastada MazF 16S rRNA lõikesaidid S1 nukleaasiga märkimise meetodil ning arutleda MazF olulisuses stressiribosoomide tekke

Testing Western Media Icons Influence on Arab Women’s Body Size and Shape Ideals: An Experimental Approach

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women’s body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity’s body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture

Associations between weight loss difficulty, disordered eating behaviors and poor weight loss outcomes in Arab female university students

Little is known about the impact of eating behaviors on weight management efforts among college students in non-Western settings. This study aimed to explore the relationship between eating behaviors, weight loss outcomes, and perceived weight loss difficulties (PWLD) among young Arab women trying to lose weight. A cross-sectional probability sample was used to recruit female university students aged 18 years and older in the state of Qatar. Participants (N = 937) completed an online survey measuring their attitudes and behaviors towards healthy eating, body image, and weight loss. More than two third (67.2%) reported facing difficulties when trying to lose weight and around one-third (31.2%) screened positive for disordered eating. Chi-squared and logistic regression analyses showed a strong and independent association between unsuccessful weight loss including lack of weight loss or maintenance after weight loss attempts, and PWLD (OR 8.6, p = .002). In addition, eating meals a few hours before sleeping (OR 1.98; p = .02) and having disordered eating (OR 2.28; p = .02) were positively associated with PWLD. BMI, weight loss goal and skipping breakfast were not associated with PWLD after adjustment for all covariates. Future studies are needed to develop better tools to comprehensively assess PWLD and validate against short- and long-term measured weight loss outcomes

Factors Shaping Qatari Students’ Interest in STEM, Business or Public Sector Careers

In this article we examine interest in a STEM career in Qatar not in isolation, but as one of numerous career choice options. In particular, we contrast interest in a STEM career with the culturally-relevant alternative career choices of public sector employment and business occupations. We also explore the degree to which factors known to influence career interest in previous studies conducted outside the region – and in particular, the U.S. and Western Europe – apply in Qatar. We aim to answer the following questions: (1) What motivates students to indicate interest in a STEM over occupations in business or the military? (2) To what extent does the education system in Qatar shape interest in a STEM career

دراسة التعليم في قطر 2012 : تقرير دافعية الطلاب و مشاركة أولياء الأمور

This report examines the views of children, parents, teachers, and administrators toward K-12 education in Qatar. It is based on results from the Qatar Education Study (QES), which is a series of surveys conducted by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) in December 2012. Together, the surveys included more than 4,200 participants from 39 preparatory and secondary schools.يتناول هذا التقرير آراء الطلاب وأولياء الأمور والمعلمين والإداريين حول نظام التعليم في قطر من الصف الثامن و حتى الصف 12( المرحلتان الإعدادية والثانوية). يعمتد هذا التقرير عىل نتائج دراسة التعليم في قطر (QES )وهي سلسلةّ من المسوح أجراها معهد البحوث الاجمتاعية والاقتصادية المسحية (SESRI )في شهر ديمبسر 2012 و قد شملت المسوح مجتمعة أكثر من 4200 مشارك من 39 مدرسة إعدادية وثانوية

Factors Shaping Qatari Students’ Career Expectations in STEM, Business or Public Sector Fields

The purpose of this study was to identify factors shaping career expectations of Qatari students. The study examined individual and motivational variables likely to influence career expectations in STEM fields, the public sector, and business. This study used survey data of 802 Qatari students and 543 parents from the 2012 Qatar Education Study. The results suggest a varied, context-dependent portrait of career expectations. The results indicate that the education system in Qatar influenced students’ STEM career expectations and demonstrate that operating a private business or seeking a job in the public sector continues to rival their expectations about STEM careers in Qatar. The paper concludes with some important implications for policy as well as recommendations for further study and research

ORIGINAL ARTICLE IN BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY: Relationship between social media use and disordered eating behavior among female university students in Qatar

Introduction: Abundant literature has established the negative impact of traditional media on body image and disordered eating behaviors among young women. In the past few years, social media use has soared especially among youth, yet the influence of social media in relation to disordered eating has not been fully explored. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between social media use and disordered eating outcomes among young Arab women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using a probability sample of 1,418 undergraduate female students living in Qatar, a rapidly developing nation in the Middle East. Popular social media platforms were assessed including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter. Other covariates assessed included body image, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. To assess the multivariate association between social media (main predictor or exposure variable), and disordered eating as measured by three levels of the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) (dependent variable), stepwise backward ordinal regression models were fit to the data. Data analysis was performed using Stata 14 software. Results: Findings confirmed that intensive use of social media, particularly Instagram, was positively associated with increased disordered eating behaviors among young women. Social media use intensity showed a significant association with increased disordered eating [(OR 1.207, SE (0.075), P < 0.01, 95% Confidential Interval [CI] 1.068 to 1.363)]. Among the four social media platforms measured, Instagram use had a significant association with disordered eating [OR 1.387, SE (0.186), P < 0.05, 95% CI 1.107 to 1.804)]. Discussion and Conclusions: This study highlights the significant role of social media on the behavior of young women, and supports the sociocultural theory linking media to disordered eating. Such an understanding of social media’s role is instrumental for the promotion and prevention of disordered eating among young women

The impact of emotional well-being on long-term recovery and survival in physical illness: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis synthesized studies on emotional well-being as predictor of the prognosis of physical illness, while in addition evaluating the impact of putative moderators, namely constructs of well-being, health-related outcome, year of publication, follow-up time and methodological quality of the included studies. The search in reference lists and electronic databases (Medline and PsycInfo) identified 17 eligible studies examining the impact of general well-being, positive affect and life satisfaction on recovery and survival in physically ill patients. Meta-analytically combining these studies revealed a Likelihood Ratio of 1.14, indicating a small but significant effect. Higher levels of emotional well-being are beneficial for recovery and survival in physically ill patients. The findings show that emotional well-being predicts long-term prognosis of physical illness. This suggests that enhancement of emotional well-being may improve the prognosis of physical illness, which should be investigated by future research

Gendered and Social Hierarchies in Problem Representation and Policy Processes: ‘Domestic Violence’ in Finland and Scotland

This article identifies and critiques presumptions about gender and violence that continue to frame and inform the processes of policy formation and implementation on domestic violence. It also deconstructs the agendered nature of policy as gendered, multilevel individual and collective action. Drawing on comparative illustrative material from Finland and Scotland, we discuss how national policies and discourses emphasize physical forms of violence, place the onus on the agency of women, and encourage a narrow conceptualization of violence in relationships. The two countries do this in somewhat comparable, though different ways operating within distinct national gender contexts.The complex interweaving of masculinities, violence, and cultures, although recognized in many debates, is seemingly marginalized from dominant discourses, policy, and legal processes. Despite growth in critical studies on men, there is little attempt made to problematize the gendered nature of violence. Rather, policy and service outcomes reflect processes through which individualized and masculine discourses frame ideas, discourses, and policy work. Women experiencing violence are constructed as victims and potential survivors of violence, although the social and gendered hierarchies evident in policies and services result in longer-term inequities and suffering for women and their dependents