EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES OF SAUDI STUDENTS - CASE STUDY: PRINCE SATTAM BIN ABDUL AZIZ UNIVERSITY

undergraduate students’ academic performances and their social interpersonal skills in the Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. Design/methodology/approach: 64 samples were collected from full-time undergraduate students studying in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University from different colleges including Community college, College of Business Administration, College of Education, College of Engineering and College of Pharmacy. The descriptive statistics analysis was used to analyze the demographic data while inferential statistics were used in testing the research hypotheses. The results obtained from the analyses were used to interpret the outcomes. Findings: The empirical results reveal that the students enjoy meeting new friends online using social media rather than meeting in person and for this reason they spend a lot of time – addicted. It is also confirmed that the bad comments are passed easily through social media affecting other's sentiments and most of them strongly believe that all the information in social media is true and reliable and the rumors were spread easily in social media. Further, it is also confirmed that social media does not support the Learning of the students. Practical Implications: The study confirms that the students exchange learning materials through social media and it helps them to update the developments in their college/university. The students believe that through Social media they have improved their communication skills and they can communicate with anyone at any time. It is also found that some of their teachers communicate with them and encourage them to use social media but for studying only.    Originality/value: The research work is of its first kind as it focuses on the impact of social media on the academic performances of the students studying in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, which has suggested effective means for effective implementation of social media strategy

A Systematic Review on Social Media Health Communications and Behavioural Development among Indians in the COVID-19 Context

Social media holds enormous power in directing the flow of health information during a health crisis and can tap into the individual and collective consciousness to make behavioural improvements. Being the third country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases reported worldwide, the magnitude of the pandemic was immense in the Indian context; timely health communications that prompt individuals to adopt preventive measures were crucial in the process of risk control. This systematic review consolidated evidence on the effect of COVID-related social media communications on the development of protective behaviours among the Indian population. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and CINAHL yielded 11 studies highlighting six themes related to social media and protective behaviours. The themes associated with the positive impact of social media include catalysing awareness, shaping psychological responses and perceptions at an individual level, behavioural changes at a community level and social media as the most influential media source for behavioural improvements. The negative effects comprise misinformation and disparities that emerge from social media health communications

Multivariate Analysis of Some Mangrove Forests from Coastal Areas of Pakistan

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Enhancement of diterpenoid steviol glycosides by co-overexpressing SrKO and SrUGT76G1 genes in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

Stevia rebaudiana (stevia) contains commercially important steviol glycosides, stevioside and rebaudioside A, these compounds have insulinotropic and anti-hyperglycemic effect. Steviol, stevioside and rebaudioside-A have taste modulation and insulin potentiation activity. Stevia leaves are composed of steviol (2-5%), stevioside (4-13%) and rebaudioside-A (1-6%). Stevioside has after-taste bitterness, rebaudioside-A is sweetest in taste among all the glycosides present. Therefore, lower ratio of rebaudioside-A to stevioside has bitter after-taste, which makes stevia plants unpalatable. By over-expressing the genes, SrUGT76G1 and SrKO, we propose to increase the ratio of RebA to stevioside in stevia. Various lines were generated and amongst them, seven lines had both the transgenes present. Co-overxpresion of SrUGT76G1 and SrKO led to the increased concentration of RebA in all the seven transgenic lines (KU1-KU7) than control plant and RebA to stevioside ratio also increased significantly. Steviol, stevioside and RebA showed a differential concentration in all the seven lines, but the pattern was the same in all of them and the ratio of RebA to stevioside increased dramatically. In transgenic line 2 (KU2), RebA showed a steep increase in concentration 52% the rebaudioside-A to stevioside ratio increased from 0.74 (control) to 2.83. In overall all the lines, RebA showed a positive correlation with steviol and stevioside. Overexpression of SrKO led to an increase in steviol which increased the stevioside, overexpression of SrUGT76G1 ultimately increased RebA concentration. In conclusion, concentration of RebA increased significantly with co- overexpression of SrUGT6G1 and SrKO genes. Lines with increased RebA are more palatable and commercially viable

Dead on arrival in a low-income country: results from a multicenter study in Pakistan

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the characteristics of dead on arrival (DOA) patients in Pakistan. METHODS: Data about the DOA patients were extracted from Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance study (Pak-NEDS). This study recruited all ED patients presenting to seven tertiary care hospitals during a four-month period between November 2010 and March 2011. This study included patients who were declared dead-on-arrival by the ED physician. RESULTS: A total of 1,557 DOA patients (7 per 1,000 visits) were included in the Pak-NEDS. Men accounted for two-thirds (64%) of DOA patients. Those aged 20-49 years accounted for about 46% of DOA patients. Nine percent (n = 72) of patients were brought by ambulance, and most patients presented at a public hospital (80%). About 11% of DOA patients had an injury. Factors significantly associated (p \u3c 0.05) with ambulance use were men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.72), brought to a private hospital (OR = 2.74), and being injured (aOR = 1.89). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed on 6% (n = 42) of patients who received treatment. Those brought to a private hospital were more likely to receive CPR (aOR = 2.81). CONCLUSION: This study noted a higher burden of DOA patients in Pakistan compared to other resourceful settings (about 1 to 2 per 1,000 visits). A large proportion of patients belonging to productive age groups, and the low prevalence of ambulance and CPR use, indicate a need for improving the prehospital care and basic life support training in pakistan

Two fluid scenario for dark energy models in a Bianchi type I universe

The current observations reveal the fact that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. The observations indicate that the driving force behind the accelerating expansion is the mysterious component known as dark energy. The only known information about dark energy is that it constitutes 73% of the total mass energy density of universe, its pressure is negative which acts as anti-gravitational force and it dominates at late times. However its nature still remains mysterious and it poses a challenge to the theoretical and observational cosmologists. Besides dark energy another mystery component in the universe that occupy large portion of universe after dark energy is dark matter. Since the nature of these dark components are relatively unknown to us, we could assume some sort of interaction between these components. The aim of this research is to study the nature of the dark energy by considering its physical quantity known as equation of state parameter ωD = pD/pD that specifies the model for dark energy. The general theory of relativity has the important role in explaining the dynamics of the universe as gravity governs the largest scale structure of the universe. Considering the fact that at present times that the universe to be in the form of perfect uid, the equation of state describes the type of matter energy present in universe. The measurements from cosmic microwave background reveals the anisotropies in the temperature and almost spatially at universe. Therefore in this research, I study the dark energy models in the framework of the anisotropic Bianchi I spacetime. The cosmological models studied here are mainly concerned with the recent epoch of universe. The behavior of the ωD is considered for two scenarios. First is the non-interacting scenario where the dark energy and dark matter are minimally coupled to each other. Second is the interacting scenario where there exists an interaction between the dark components and this is connected by an interaction term Q. I investigate the behavior of the !D parameter by considering the function of universe scale factor of two types. First is the scale factor in the form of power function law and it is found that ωD parameter for both non-interacting and interacting cases varies in the phantom region ωD = -1. Second is using the solutions of the Einstein field equation where I derive the general form of the ωD parameter for Bianchi I spacetime. Then I use the scale factor in terms of hyperbolic function with general ωD parameter. It is shown that in non-interacting case, depending on the value of the anisotropy parameter K, the dark energy EoS parameter is varying from phantom ωD = -1 to quintessence ωD = -1 whereas in interacting case EoS parameter vary in quintessence region. However, eventually all of these models tend to reach ωD = -1. Generally it is found that the behavior of the EoS parameter from all these models is that the dark energy model behaves like scalar field models such as quintessence, phantom and quintom

Experimental study of diode pump Nd-YAG laser

We have studied the lasing characteristics of the Nd-YAG at different input waves, plane and concave mirrors and different percentage of reflecting mirrors. A conversion efficiency of 62.5% with a threshold at 94mW, CW 1064nm radiation was achieved with 805nm input. Similarly a conversion efficiency of 70% with threshold at 106mW was achieved. We have also studied the conversion efficiency of Nd-YAG It is found that plano-concave cavity for NdYAG laser is more efficient as. compared to, the plano-plane cavity. It is also found that the mirror with 95% high reflecting at 1064nm have the highest conversion efficiency but It also have higher threshold as compared to 99% high reflecting which has the lowest threshold which is about 47mW

Advanced Methodologies for Trace Elements in Edible Oil Samples: A Review

Advanced methodologies were applied for the detection of some elements at trace levels in edible oils. Trace elements play a role in oil stability, quality of edible oils and fats. In the present study, problems were addressed related to simple, cheap, less time consuming and suitable pretreatment advanced methods for suitable sample introduction and calibrations as well as the strategies and techniques are discussed. The present review is aimed to discuss the significance of simplifying sample treatments are offered for trace elements in oils. The period covered by this review is last twenty years. However, the various applications of advanced methodologies including extraction and microextraction. The scope of spectrometric techniques used for the analysis of trace elements in edible oils was discussed by new instrumental development trends

Development of magnesium die casting property database using CES system

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