A Study of Opportunities and Threats of Descriptive Assessment from Managers, Teachers and Experts Points of View in Chaharmahal and Bakhteyari Primary Schools

The aim of current study is to determine the strength and weakness of executing descriptive evaluation from the viewpoint of deans, teachers and experts of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. A survey descriptive approach was performed. Statistical population includes 208 deans, 303 teachers, and 100 executive experts of descriptive evaluation scheme in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in educational year 1387-88. Sample’s volume after some statistical estimation calculated to be 175, and members of the sample were selected by random sampling of a category proportional to the selected volume, that contains 100 teachers, 50 deans and 25 experts. To identify the justifiability of the inventory, opinions of twelve persons including advisor professor, consulting professor, designer of the descriptive evaluation scheme, four of educational planning department professors and five of experts holding masters and Ph.D. degrees that are executives of the scheme in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, were used. Measurement tools included: 1) documents including reports, regulations and documents related to the running of this plan; 2) interviews conducted to use the opinions of experts in doing descriptive evaluation; 3) a self-administrated questionnaire including 4 items and 74 close–ended questions, and open – ended ones. For analyzing the data produced by inventory, we used SPSS-13 to analyze the data in two levels of descriptive and inferential. We also have used single variable t-test, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and least significant difference (LSD) tests. Results showed that the executives of descriptive evaluation scheme in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province evaluate the so called scheme above average regarding to four scales (strength and weakness).Key words: Chaharmahal; Bakhteyari; Opportunities; Threats; Primary schoo

A Study of the Relationships between the Family Performance and Ego Identity Status with Academic Achievement in Students

ABSTRACT One of the most important problems which challenge researchers and educational programmers is understanding factors which affect academic performance and the role of family and development-identity factors. The present study aims at examining the relationships between the family functioning and disorders and the ego identity status and academic functioning. The sample consists of 250 student selected using random sampling among high school students. The instruments employed in this study include the ego identity questionnaire and the family assessment device. Data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation test and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The findings showed a significant correlation between family functioning and identity status. Disorders in the functions of family are positively correlated with premature and confused identity. Furthermore, there is a negative correlation between disorders in the performance of family with academic functioning, forming identification, and successful identification. Regression model revealed that the relationship, problem solving, general performance of the family, premature identity and successful interpersonal identity are determining factors of academic functioning. The findings of this study have implications for educational programmers, consultants, and psychologists in understanding factors affecting the academic functioning and in developing plans which fit these factors

THE EFFECT OF NICOTINE GUM ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE

Abstract&nbsp; INTRODUCTION: Smoking is an important risk factor of coronary artery disease. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation should be considered, especially in coronary patients. methods: Twenty-four healthy smokers, smoking an average of 20 cigarettes a day for 15 years and with moderate cigarette dependence (according to the Fagershtrum questionnaire score) were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 8 and followed up for 5 days. The first group consisted only of cigarette smokers. The smokers in the second group were given a piece of nicotine gum every two hours. The smokers in the third group were given a piece of non-nicotine gum (placebo) every 2 hours. The subjects' blood pressure and heart rate were checked 12 times during four daily intervals (between 7 AM and 12 PM, 1 PM and 6 PM, 7 PM and 12 PM, 1 AM and 6 AM) and recorded in related forms. RESULTS: Systolic pressure was not significantly different in the three groups, but diastolic blood pressure of cigarette smokers was evidently higher than that of subjects who used nicotine and non-nicotine (placebo) gums. DISCUSSION: Heart rate in smokers was higher than in nicotine and placebo users (P&lt;0.0001). It seems that nicotine gum does not act as a cardiovascular disease risk factor. Hence in the context of smoking cessation efforts, its prescription to smokers with cardiovascular disease is recommended.Keywords &bull; Risk factor &bull; NICO rest gum &bull; Smoking &bull; Systolic blood pressure &bull; Diastolic blood pressure &bull; Heart beat &bull; CVD&nbsp;</p

Comparison of recombinant A2-ELISA with rKE16 dipstick and direct agglutination tests for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in Northwestern Iran

INTRODUCTION: Various methods are used for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), such as microscopic examination, culture and inoculation of laboratory animals; however, serological assays are commonly used for the detection of antibodies in serum samples with a wide range of specificity and sensitivity. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to compare three serological methods, including rA2-ELISA, the recombinant KE16 (rKE16) dipstick test and the direct agglutination test (DAT), for the detection of antibodies against VL antigens. The assays utilized 350 statistically based random serum samples from domestic dogs with clinical symptoms as well as samples from asymptomatic and healthy dogs from rural and urban areas of the Meshkinshahr district, northwestern Iran. RESULTS: Samples were assessed, and the following positive rates were obtained: 11.5% by rKE16, 26.9% by DAT and 49.8% by ELISA. The sensitivity among symptomatic dogs was 32.4% with rKE16, 100% with DAT and 52.9% with ELISA. Conversely, rA2-ELISA was less specific for asymptomatic dogs, at 46.5%, compared with DAT, at 88.9%. CONCLUSIONS : This study recommends rA2-ELISA as a parallel assay combined with DAT to detect VL infection among dogs. Further evaluations should be performed to develop an inexpensive and reliable serologic test for the detection of Leishmania infantum among infected dogs