The Effectiveness of Differentiated Education Strategies in Developing Critical Thinking Among First Graders from the Perspective of First Grade Teachers in Jordan

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of differentiated education strategies in developing critical thinking among first-grade students from the point of view of first-grade teachers in the Directorate of Education in the Ramtha District. And education for the Ramtha District, which numbered (302) male and female teachers, and a random sample of (170) male and female teachers was selected. The study tool was represented by a questionnaire that consisted of two parts. The first part included demographic data: gender, educational qualification, and experience, while the second part included (22) items. The results showed that differentiated education strategies greatly help in developing critical thinking among students from the teachers' point of view. The results also showed that there were statistically significant differences in the responses of the study sample due to the variable of gender, experience or educational qualification. The study recommended a set of recommendations, the most important of which are: Inclusion in the curriculum on classroom activities based on the use of differentiated education strategies and educational activities that contribute to the development of critical thinking skills because of the importance of these skills in the student's life. Keywords: differentiated education, first grade teachers, critical thinking. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-19-23 Publication date:June 30th 202

Current Trends on Solid Dispersions:Past, Present, and Future

Solid dispersions have achieved significant interest as an effective means of enhancing the dissolution rate and thus the bioavailability of a range of weakly water-soluble drugs. Solid dispersions of weakly water-soluble drugs with water-soluble carriers have lowered the frequency of these problems and improved dissolution. Solid dispersion is a solubilization technology emphasizing mainly on, drug-polymer two-component systems in which drug dispersion and its stabilization is the key to formulation development. Therefore, this technology is recognized as an exceptionally useful means of improving the dissolution properties of poorly water-soluble drugs and in the latest years, a big deal of understanding has been accumulated about solid dispersion, however, their commercial application is limited. In this review article, emphasis is placed on solubility, BCS classification, and carriers. Moreover, this article presents the diverse preparation techniques for solid dispersion and gathers some of the recent technological transfers. The different types of solid dispersions based on the carrier used and molecular arrangement were underlined. Additionally, it summarizes the mechanisms, the methods of preparing solid dispersions, and the marketed drugs that are available using solid dispersion approaches

Hydrogel Sensors for the Agricultural Applications

This work is focused on the design and fabrication of hydrogel sensors for the agricultural applications "a multi-sensory device". Agriculture is an important contributor to Qatar's economy, as the country is aiming to produce more local products. We chose to use hydrogel in soil, for their high efficiency in absorbing water. The hydrogel will be embedded in a multisensory device that will provide consistent plant watering when soil is dry and in need for water. The multi-sensory device will employ NFC switch "Near Field Communication" which is a wireless communication device used to control water flow for plant irrigation. Also, the experimental work including enhancing soil properties by using Arabic gum (sodium 2-[(7-carboxyheptyl)-C-hydroxycarbonimidoyl]benzen-1-olate) a biodegradable and naturally available polymer. It is proven that it decreases soil porosity enhance the reinforcement between the soil and the hydrogel therefor retaining more water and preventing evaporation, it also increases plant growth through fixating nitrogen in the soil

Virheilmoitusten raportointijärjestelmä PHP - ja Zend Framework 2 pohjaisessa verkkosovelluksessa : case: eKeiretsu Oy

Tämä opinnäytetyö käsittelee virheilmoitusten raportointijärjestelmän suunnitelman toteutusta. Päätutkimusongelmana haetaan vastausta siihen, miten PHP:ssä toteutetaan virheilmoitusten raportointijärjestelmä? Alaongelmina selvitetään, miten Zend Framework 2:n käyttö vaikuttaa järjestelmän toteutukseen sekä, miten järjestelmään kirjataan käyttäjien löytämät virheet? Tämä tutkimus on luonteeltaan kvalitatiivinen ja asetettuihin tutkimusongelmiin haetaan vastausta suunnittelutieteellisellä tutkimusmenetelmällä. Tutkimuksen teoriaosuudessa käsitellään olemassa olevia teknologioita, virheilmoitusten käsittelyä, käyttäjien huomaamia virheitä sekä tietoturvaa. Nämä käsiteltävät aiheet ovat kohdeyrityksen kehittämän verkkosovelluksen määrittämiä. Verkkosovellus on tehty PHP verkko-ohjelmointikielellä sekä sen Zend Framework 2 ohjelmistokehyksen avulla. Opinnäytetyön kohdeyritys on asettanut työn tutkimustehtäväksi tehdä suunnitelma virheilmoitusten raportointijärjestelmää varten. Tämä suunnitelma tehdään työn empiria osuudessa ja sitä tullaan käyttämään jatkossa tarkemman järjestelmäsuunnittelun pohjana. Tämän työn tuloksena muodostui yleinen käsitys ja suunnitelma siitä, miten virheilmoitusten raportointijärjestelmä kannattaa toteuttaa PHP:ssä. Työssä myös havaittiin, että Zend Frameworkin käyttö helpottaa tällaisen järjestelmän toteuttamista sekä löydettiin vastaus sille, miten käyttäjien löytämät virheet voidaan kirjata.The purpose of this thesis is to develop a plan for an error message reporting system. The theoretical part of the thesis seeks an answer to the research question how to make an error message reporting system in PHP? Sub-questions try to find out whether the use of Zend Framework 2 affects the system design and also how to log user submitted error reports. This is a qualitative study and it seeks to answer the research problems using a design science research methodology. The theoretical part of the thesis consists of existing technologies, the processing of error messages, methods to help users report errors and data security. The technologies analysed in this chapter are those used in the case company’s web application. The web application is created using the PHP programming language and its Zend Framework 2 program framework. The goal set by the case company for this thesis was to produce a plan for an error message reporting system. This plan was created in the empirical part of the thesis and it will be used as a basis for future, more detailed system planning. This study resulted in a general answer to the question how to create an error message reporting system in PHP. The use of Zend Framework 2 was found to be beneficial in making the system more accessible and easier to develop. The thesis also resulted in a general suggestion as to how the application’s users could submit their own error reports

Evaluation of preparedness of healthcare student volunteers against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia : a cross-sectional study

Aim: To assess the knowledge and attitude of senior medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students toward Middle East respiratory syndrome-corona virus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional survey using a 21-item questionnaire was conducted for a 3-month period from November 2015–January 2016 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate students’ understanding and perception of MERS-CoV. An ANOVA test was used to determine the association of study discipline and academic year with the student knowledge score on MERS. Results: A total of 364 students were assessed during the study. The majority (62%) of the participants were in the 20–22-year age group. More than half (53%) were pharmacy students followed by (22%) medical students. More than two thirds (71%) of the participants were aware that MERS is caused by the coronavirus. More than half (59%) of the participants believed that MERS can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with infected camels. A statistically significant association was reported between the study discipline and mean knowledge score (p < 0.0001) with medical students achieving an overall better knowledge score compared with students from other study disciplines. Conclusion: Overall, students had good knowledge about MERS epidemiology, transmission and the recommended protective measures. However, students expressed their reluctance to work in healthcare facilities with inadequate MERS infection control isolation policies

Attitudes of Middle Eastern Societies towards Organ Donation: The Effect of Demographic Factors among Jordanian Adults

Background: Organ donation gives thousands of patients a renewed chance at living full and active lives. Unfortunately, the need for organs does not match their availability. This study aims to analyze the effect of demographic factors on the knowledge and awareness of the Jordanian society towards organ donation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire. We included 1041 adult Jordanians from all the governorates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Results: Of the 1041 participants, only 124 (11.9%) had previously singed organ donation card. Overall, 827 (79.4%) were fully accepting organ donation. Among 782 participants in the medical field, 639 (81.7%) fully accepted organ donation, compared to 188 out of 259 (72.6%) in the non-medical field (p= 0.002), with no significant effect of any demographic factor on the willingness to sign organ donation card. There was significant difference in the acceptance of donation from brain dead donors (p< 0.001), with participants from medical field and male participants having higher acceptance rates when compared with non-medical and female participants, respectively. The main barrier for organ donation was found to be the desire to be buried as a whole (58.2%), followed by traditional beliefs (47.4%), and family refusal (42.2%). Conclusions: In conclusion, an educational strategy can improve organ donation awareness from an early age by spreading actionable information through social media and conducting nationwide public campaigns

A Previously Uncharacterized Factor associated with Metabolism and Energy (FAME/C14orf105/CCDC198/1700011H14Rik) is related to Evolutionary Adaptation, Energy Balance, and Kidney Physiology

In this study we use comparative genomics to uncover a gene with uncharacterized function ( 1700011H14Rik/C14orf105/CCDC198 ), which we hereby name FAME (Factor Associated with Metabolism and Energy). We observe that FAME shows an unusually high evolutionary divergence in birds and mammals. Through the comparison of single nucleotide polymorphisms, we identify gene flow of FAME from Neandertals into modern humans. We conduct knockout experiments on animals and observe altered body weight and decreased energy expenditure in Fame knockout animals, corresponding to genome-wide association studies linking FAME with higher body mass index in humans. Gene expression and subcellular localization analyses reveal that FAME is a membrane-bound protein enriched in the kidneys. Although the gene knockout results in structurally normal kidneys, we detect higher albumin in urine and lowered ferritin in the blood. Through experimental validation, we confirm interactions between FAME and ferritin and show co-localization in vesicular and plasma membranes

Oral manifestations in young adults infected with COVID-19 and impact of smoking:a multi-country cross-sectional study

Background: Oral manifestations and lesions could adversely impact the quality of people's lives. COVID-19 infection may interact with smoking and the impact on oral manifestations is yet to be discovered. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the self-reported presence of oral lesions by COVID-19-infected young adults and the differences in the association between oral lesions and COVID-19 infection in smokers and non-smokers. Methods: This cross-sectional multi-country study recruited 18-to-23-year-old adults. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on COVID-19-infection status, smoking and the presence of oral lesions (dry mouth, change in taste, and others) using an online platform. Multi-level logistic regression was used to assess the associations between the oral lesions and COVID-19 infection; the modifying effect of smoking on the associations. Results: Data was available from 5,342 respondents from 43 countries. Of these, 8.1% reported COVID-19-infection, 42.7% had oral manifestations and 12.3% were smokers. A significantly greater percentage of participants with COVID-19-infection reported dry mouth and change in taste than non-infected participants. Dry mouth (AOR=, 9=xxx) and changed taste (AOR=, 9=xxx) were associated with COVID-19-infection. The association between COVID-19-infection and dry mouth was stronger among smokers than non-smokers (AOR = 1.26 and 1.03, p = 0.09) while the association with change in taste was stronger among non-smokers (AOR = 1.22 and 1.13, p = 0.86). Conclusion: Dry mouth and changed taste may be used as an indicator for COVID-19 infection in low COVID-19-testing environments. Smoking may modify the association between some oral lesions and COVID-19-infection

Cigarettes' use and capabilities-opportunities-motivation-for-behavior model:a multi-country survey of adolescents and young adults

The use of cigarettes among adolescents and young adults (AYA) is an important issue. This study assessed the association between regular and electronic-cigarettes use among AYA and factors of the Capability-Motivation-Opportunity-for-Behavior-change (COM-B) model. A multi-country survey was conducted between August-2020 and January-2021, Data was collected using the Global-Youth-Tobacco-Survey and Generalized-Anxiety-Disorder-7-item-scale. Multi-level logistic-regression-models were used. Use of regular and electronic-cigarettes were dependent variables. The explanatory variables were capability-factors (COVID-19 status, general anxiety), motivation-factors (attitude score) and opportunity-factors (country-level affordability scores, tobacco promotion-bans, and smoke free-zones) controlling for age and sex. Responses of 6,989-participants from 25-countries were used. Those who reported that they were infected with COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of electronic-cigarettes use (AOR = 1.81, P = 0.02). Normal or mild levels of general anxiety and negative attitudes toward smoking were associated with significantly lower odds of using regular-cigarettes (AOR = 0.34, 0.52, and 0.75, P < 0.001) and electronic-cigarettes (AOR = 0.28, 0.45, and 0.78, P < 0.001). Higher affordability-score was associated with lower odds of using electronic-cigarettes (AOR = 0.90, P = 0.004). Country-level-smoking-control policies and regulations need to focus on reducing cigarette affordability. Capability, motivation and opportunity factors of the COM-B model were associated with using regular or electronic cigarettes