Entrepreneurial motivations among female university youth in Saudi Arabia

To successfully target potential women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, a better understanding of their entrepreneurial motivations is needed. In this study, we used economic, human development, and social learning perspectives to explore the entrepreneurial motivations among female university youth in Saudi Arabia and formulated three hypotheses on the gender differences in these motivations. We conducted a survey among undergraduate students at King Saud University in Spring'2010 (n = 856) and tested our hypotheses using analysis of variance (chi-square tests and t-tests). Consistent with research on female entrepreneurs around the world, our results indicate that female university youth in Saudi Arabia are more likely than men to start an entrepreneurial venture out of necessity, whereas men are more likely to have a financial success motivation. At the same time, and in contrast to findings from studies on entrepreneurial motivations in the context of Western Europe and the USA, young Saudi university women report a narrower range of entrepreneurial motivations, compared to men. The implications of this exploratory study point to the need for initiatives specifically focused at young women in order to increase their confidence that entrepreneurship is a viable route to accomplish a broad range of career reasons

A cost effectiveness analysis of salt reduction policies to reduce coronary heart disease in four Eastern Mediterranean countries.

BACKGROUND: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is rising in middle income countries. Population based strategies to reduce specific CHD risk factors have an important role to play in reducing overall CHD mortality. Reducing dietary salt consumption is a potentially cost-effective way to reduce CHD events. This paper presents an economic evaluation of population based salt reduction policies in Tunisia, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Three policies to reduce dietary salt intake were evaluated: a health promotion campaign, labelling of food packaging and mandatory reformulation of salt content in processed food. These were evaluated separately and in combination. Estimates of the effectiveness of salt reduction on blood pressure were based on a literature review. The reduction in mortality was estimated using the IMPACT CHD model specific to that country. Cumulative population health effects were quantified as life years gained (LYG) over a 10 year time frame. The costs of each policy were estimated using evidence from comparable policies and expert opinion including public sector costs and costs to the food industry. Health care costs associated with CHDs were estimated using standardized unit costs. The total cost of implementing each policy was compared against the current baseline (no policy). All costs were calculated using 2010 PPP exchange rates. In all four countries most policies were cost saving compared with the baseline. The combination of all three policies (reducing salt consumption by 30%) resulted in estimated cost savings of $235,000,000 and 6455 LYG in Tunisia;$39,000,000 and 31674 LYG in Syria; $6,000,000 and 2682 LYG in Palestine and$1,3000,000,000 and 378439 LYG in Turkey. CONCLUSION: Decreasing dietary salt intake will reduce coronary heart disease deaths in the four countries. A comprehensive strategy of health education and food industry actions to label and reduce salt content would save both money and lives

Australian bat lyssavirus infection in two horses

In May 2013, the first cases of Australian bat lyssavirus infections in domestic animals were identified in Australia. Two horses (filly-H1 and gelding-H2) were infected with the Yellow-bellied sheathtail bat (YBST) variant of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV). The horses presented with neurological signs, pyrexia and progressing ataxia. Intra-cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (Negri bodies) were detected in some Purkinje neurons in haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections from the brain of one of the two infected horses (H2) by histological examination. A morphological diagnosis of sub-acute moderate non-suppurative, predominantly angiocentric, meningo-encephalomyelitis of viral aetiology was made. The presumptive diagnosis of ABLV infection was confirmed by the positive testing of the affected brain tissue from (H2) in a range of laboratory tests including fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and real-time PCR targeting the nucleocapsid (N) gene. Retrospective testing of the oral swab from (H1) in the real-time PCR also returned a positive result. The FAT and immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed an abundance of ABLV antigen throughout the examined brain sections. ABLV was isolated from the brain (H2) and oral swab/saliva (H1) in the neuroblastoma cell line (MNA). Alignment of the genome sequence revealed a 97.7% identity with the YBST ABLV strain

Impact of Training on Developing wisdom in Gifted Female Students at Secondary School

هدف البحث إلى معرفة أثر برنامج تدريبي قائم على الحكمة في تنمية مهارات الحكمة لدى الطالبات الموهوبات في المرحلة الثانوية، وللتحقق من هذا الهدف قام الباحثون بالتحقق من الفرض التالي: يؤدي تطبيق برنامج تدريبي قائم على الحكمة في تحسين مهارات الحكمة (التأملي، الحواري) بشكل إيجابي لدى الطالبات الموهوبات في المرحلة الثانوية في مملكة البحرين. وقد تكونت عينة البحث من (24) طالبة موهوبة من المرحلة الثانوية، موزعات بالتساوي على مدرستين ثانويتين للبنات إحداهما تجريبية والأخرى ضابطة. طبقت أداة الحكمة في القياس القبلي والبعدي لأفراد المجموعتين التجريبية والضابطة، بينما طبق البرنامج التدريبي "القائم على الحكمة" على أفراد المجموعة التجريبية على مدى (22) جلسة تدريبية خلال الفصل الثاني من العام الدراسي (2014-2015م). وبعد المعالجة الإحصائية، جاءت النتائج كالآتي: وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً عند مستوى أقل من (0.001) على التطبيق البعدي لمهارات البعدين التأملي والحواري بين المجموعتين التجريبية والضابطة لصالح المجموعة التجريبية، وهذا يدل على أثر البرنامج التدريبي في تنمية مهارات الحكمة لدى الطالبات الموهوبات. الكلمات المفتاحية: الموهبة، الحكمة، المرحلة الثانوية.The study aimed to investigate the effect of a wisdom-based training program on the development of wisdom of gifted students in the secondary level in the kingdom of Bahrain. In order to achieve this objective, the researchers answered  this question: “Is there a valid positive impact for the implementation of a wisdom-based training program in the development of gifted students’ wisdom skills in the secondary level in the kingdom of Bahrain? The sample of the study consisted of (24) gifted students from the secondary level divided equally into two groups: experimental group and control group. The wisdom tool  was applied in the pre-test and post-test processes on the two groups, whereas the wisdom-based training program was applied on the members of the experimental group only over (22)  training sessions in the second term of the academic year (2014/2015). After the statistical analysis, the results revealed statistically significant differences in the post-test levels of reflective and dialogic dimension skills between the experimental and control groups, in favor of the experimental group. This indicates the effect of the experimental program in the development of wisdom skills on gifted students. Keywords: Giftedness, Wisdom, Secondary level

Design of Cationic Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Efficient siRNA Vectors for Lung Cancer Xenograft Eradication

Polo-Like Kinase (PLK1) has been identified as a potential target in cancer gene therapy via chemical or genetic inhibitory approaches. The biomedical applications of chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) in cancer therapy have been studied due to their ability to efficiently deliver siRNA intracellularly. In this study, we established the capacity of cationic MWNT-NH3+ to deliver the apoptotic siRNA against PLK1 (siPLK1) in Calu6 tumor xenografts by direct intratumoural injections. A direct comparison with cationic liposomes was made. This study validates the PLK1 gene as a potential target in cancer gene therapy including lung cancer, as demonstrated by the therapeutic efficacy of siPLK1:MWNT-NH3+ complexes and their ability to significantly improve animal survival. Biological analysis of the siPLK1:MWNT-NH3+ treated tumors by RT-PCR and Western blot, in addition to TUNEL staining confirmed the biological functionality of the siRNA intratumourally, suggesting that tumor eradication was due to PLK1 knockdown. Furthermore, by using a fluorescently labelled, non-coding siRNA sequence complexed with MWNT-NH3+, we established for the first time that the improved therapeutic efficacy observed in f-CNT-based siRNA delivery is directly proportional to the enhanced siRNA retention in the solid tumor and subsequent uptake by tumor cells after local administration in vivo

Healthy vs. osteoarthritic hips: A comparison of hip, pelvis and femoral parameters and relationships using the EOS® system

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating disease, for which the development path is unknown. Hip, pelvis and femoral morphological and positional parameters relate either to individual differences or to changes in the disease state, both of which should be taken into account when diagnosing and treating patients. These have not yet been comprehensively quantified. Previous imaging studies have been limited by a number of factors: supine rather than standing measurements; high radiation dose; a limited field of view; and 2D rather than 3D measurements. EOS®, a new radiographic imaging modality that acquires simultaneous frontal and lateral (sagittal) X-ray images of the full body, allows 3D reconstruction of the hip, pelvis and lower limb. The aim of the study was to explore similarities and differences between healthy and osteoarthritis groups

Experimental analysis of the lower cervical spine in flexion with a focus on facet tracking

Cervical traumas are among the most common events leading to serious spinal cord injuries. While models are often used to better understand injury mechanisms, experimental data for their validation remain sparse, particularly regarding articular facets. The aim of this study was to assess the behavior of cervical FSUs under quasi-static flexion with a specific focus on facet tracking. 9 cadaveric cervical FSUs were imaged and loaded under a 10 Nm flexion moment, exerted incrementally, while biplanar X-rays were acquired at each load increment. The relative vertebral and facet rotations and displacements were assessed using radio-opaque markers implanted in each vertebra and CT-based reconstructions registered on the radiographs. The only failures obtained were due to specimen preparation, indicating a failure moment of cervical FSUs greater than 10 Nm in quasistatic flexion. Facet motions displayed a consistent anterior sliding and a variable pattern regarding their normal displacement. The present study offers insight on the behavior of cervical FSUs under quasi-static flexion beyond physiological thresholds with accurate facet tracking. The data provided should prove useful to further understand injury mechanisms and validate models

The Immunomodulatory Role of Microbiota in Rheumatic Heart Disease: What Do We Know and What Can We Learn from Other Rheumatic Diseases?

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) represents a serious cardiac sequela of acute rheumatic fever, occurring in 30-45% of patients. RHD is multifactorial, with a strong familial predisposition and known environmental risk factors that drive loss of immunological tolerance. The gut and oral microbiome have recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of RHD. Disruption of the delicate balance of the microbiome, or dysbiosis, is thought to lead to autoimmune responses through several different mechanisms including molecular mimicry, epitope spreading, and bystander activation. However, data on the microbiomes of RHD patients are scarce. Therefore, in this comprehensive review, we explore the various dimensions of the intricate relationship between the microbiome and the immune system in RHD and other rheumatic diseases to explore the potential effect of microbiota on RHD and opportunities for diagnosis and treatment.This publication was supported by Qatar University, internal grant no. QUCP-CHS-2022-551 and QU Health cluster, Qatar University. The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu