Ultrasonic Atomisation of Pure Aluminium and Alloy

Ultrasonic Atomisation of Pure Aluminium and Allo

Communication Skills and Its Relationship with Quality of Life Among School Counselors

The research aims to identify the relationship between communication skills and quality of life, and the ability to predict the quality of life depending on the communication skills that the counselors have. The sample consists of (118)  counselors in schools of public Education In Jeddah governorate, the researcher used the scale of the quality of life for adults prepared by Hicham Abdullah (2010AD), and the scale of communication skills of adults prepared by Abdel Rahim Mohsen (1993AD). The results have shown that there is a function relation at level of (0.01) between the communication skills and the quality of life, communication skills have predicted the quality of life for counselors, and explained about 36.3% of the quality of their life, the results also showed an existence of statistically significant differences among the counselors depending on their academic qualification. The research presented a set of recommendations: The need for qualifying the counselors through the communication skills raising courses, which contributes in promoting and developing new techniques that enable them to achieve a high level of the quality of life, and adding the quality of life concept to some of the university course in order to help the students to understand the quality of life standards before getting into the realm of work, and The Provision of specialized programs that develop the non-verbal communication skills for the counselors, and making more researches on the effectiveness of training programs in developing the communication skills especially the non-verbal communication skills for the counselors. Keywords: communication skills, quality of life, counselors

Investigating Determinants of the Acceptance of Zoom Technology Through the Lens of GETAMEL

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى استقصاء المحددات في قبول تقنية Zoom بناءً على أنموذج قبول التكنولوجيا العام الموسع للتعلم الإلكتروني (GETAMEL). تم تحليل البيانات المستقاة من دراسة استقصائية واسعة النطاق شملت (256) طالبا من طلبة الدراسات العليا في جامعة الملك خالد في المملكة العربية السعودية تم توظيفهم من خلال أخذ عينات ملائمة عبر الإنترنت من خلال نمذجة المعادلات الهيكلية. تم تحليل مجموعة البيانات باستخدام برنامج SPSS. وكشفت النتائج أن أنموذج الدراسة المستخدم يتمتع بقدرة تفسيرية عالية حيث يقوم بتفسير (%71) من التباين في النوايا السلوكية لاستخدام تقنية الـ Zoom. والعامل الأكثر أهمية هو الاتجاه نحو الاستخدام، في حين أن الفائدة المتصورة كان لها تأثير ضئيل على التنبؤ بنية الاستخدام. وأن كلا من سهولة الاستخدام والفائدة المدركة كان لهما تأثير إيجابي على الاتجاهات نحو استخدام تقنية Zoom. وكان العاملان الخارجيان الأساسيان الكفاءة الذاتية والمتعة المدركة لهما تأثير إيجابي على الفائدة المدركة، لكن المعايير الذاتية لم يكن لها تأثير كبير. واظهر التحليل ان متغير سهولة الاستخدام هو أفضل مؤشر على تصورات الطلبة للفائدة المدركة لتقنية الـ Zoom، يليه الكفاءة الذاتية. وأخيرا، تم التنبؤ بسهولة الاستخدام المدركة بشكل كبير من خلال الكفاءة الذاتية. وتعزز نتائج الدراسة الفهم فيما يتعلق بقبول تقنية الـ Zoom. ولهــذه النتيجة أهميــة خاصة للباحثين، والمطورين، والممارسين لتقنية Zoom في البيئات التعليمية.The present study aims to determine factors influencing graduate students’ intention to use Zoom technology. A questionnaire modified to conform to the General Extended Technology Acceptance Model was distributed to 256 graduate students at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that the hypothesized model was a good predictor of intention to use. About 71% of the variance of intention to use Zoom technology was explained. The model’s antecedents significantly predicted intention to use. The most crucial factor was attitude, while perceived usefulness had a negligible impact on predicting intention to use. Both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were found to predict students’ attitudes towards using Zoom. Self-efficacy and enjoyment were the most fundamental external factors in predicting perceived usefulness, but subjective norms had no significant effect. The best predictor of students’ perceptions of the usefulness of the Zoom technology was perceived ease of use, followed by self-efficacy. Finally, perceived ease of use was significantly predicted by self-efficacy. The findings improve understanding regarding the acceptance of Zoom. This work is of particular interest to researchers, developers, and practitioners of Zoom in educational contexts

Mitochondrial Function, Oxidative Stress and Parkinson's Disease

The loss of the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) complexes, particularly complex I, has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis. However, it is still uncertain whether altered MRC activity is an early event in the pathophysiology of PD, or a late consequence of cellular stress. Therefore, this thesis contributes differently from other studies as to the ongoing investigations about MRC activity in PD post-mortem brain based on pathological severity. This study demonstrates that loss of complex I activity occurs in regions with both moderate and mild pathology in PD brain. Furthermore, multiple complex defects were noted in the moderate pathology region. However, the activity of complex II which is entirely encoded by nuclear DNA appeared to be preserved. The exact mechanism of multiple complex defects remain elusive. However, the possibility arises that impairment of complex I results in secondary damage to the other complexes. Here, neuroblastoma cells were employed to study the effect of pharmacologically induced MRC complex I deficiency upon the activity of the other complexes. In this model, rotenone-treated (100 nM; 24-48 hours) SH-SY5Y cells induced an inhibition of complex I. At 24 hours no effect was observed on the other complexes. However at 48 hours, multiple complex defects were noted, but the activity of complex II appeared to be preserved. Additionally, bioenergetics and glutathione status were compromised. By utilizing this model, the effectiveness of antioxidants in alleviating the progression of complex I deficiency on other complexes were also evaluated. Furthermore, the use of the Oxygraph-2K® instrument together with a step-wise protocol was developed to assess the integrated mitochondrial function in cultured SH-SY5Y cells. Additionally, the focus of attention was also to validate the fibroblast growth factor-21 ELISA assay. Based on the results, this assay appears to be a useful as a biomarker for mitochondrial dysfunction

Preparation and characterisation of ceramic and thin film Zn(_2)SnO(_4)

Ceramic zinc stannate, Zn(_2)SnO(_4), was prepared from 1SnO(_2):2ZnO mixture using powders of the highest commercially available purity. The solid state reaction between the ZnO and the SnO(_2), thought to be an evaporation-recondensation mechanism, was found to start at ~ 900 ˚C (12 hours heating, rate 5 ˚C min(^-1)). However, the reaction did not go to completion in the timescale of the experiment unless the temperature was raised to~1300 C. In this case mono-phase, polycrystalline Zn(_2)SnO(_4) was produced, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Further evidence for these reaction temperatures was obtained from thermal analysis experiments. As-sintered, Zn(_2)SnO(_4) was insulating (σ — 10(^19) Ω(^-1) cm(^-1)) although it could be made conductive, by a reduction heat-treatment. This entailed refiring the sintered pellets of Zn(_2)SnO(_4) in an atmosphere of mixture gas (25% H(_2) + 75% N(_2)) at ~ 450 ˚C for 14 hours (heating rate of 10 C min(^-1)). This reduced the conductivity to values of σ~1 x 10(^-2) Ω(^-1) cm(^-1) . XRD failed to reveal any changes in the phase of the material after the reduction treatment. Several dopants were investigated, the most successful of which was in, using a vapour phase method. Doping with In this way gave a significant change in the colour from white to dark grey together with a reduction in electrical resistivity, without recourse to further heating treatments. No change in the usual phase of the Zn(_2)SnO(_4) was detected. Doping with group V oxides, such as Nb(_2)O(_5), V(_2)O(_5) etc, produced changes in the colour from white to dark grey, but no reduction in the resistivity, unless further heating treatments were carried out in reducing ambients. When high concentrations of Nb were introduced an additional phase, possibly Nb(_2)Sn(_2)O(_7) was observed by XRD. Thin film Zn(_2)SnO(_4) was prepared by Electron Beam Evaporation using Zn2Sn04 sintered powder as the evaporant material. The thin films were deposited onto glass substrates, at a range of substrate temperatures between room temperature and 250 ˚C. XRD was used to confirm the formation of Zn(_2)SnO(_4), and provide estimates for the grain size, which varied from 20 to 25 nm. RHEED studies indicated that the grain size increased as the substrate temperature was increased. SEM revealed that the thin films were flat and uniform, with no cracks. The optical transmission of the thin films was about 88% for films deposited at 200 ˚C, but decreased significantly as the substrate temperature was decreased. The spectral dependence of complex refractive index (n&k) suggested that true thin film formation did not take place until the substrate temperature exceeded ~ 150 ˚C, and that the material was apparently a direct gap semiconductor with a band gap energy of ~1.95 eV. It was found that the main carrier transportation mechanism for doped, un- doped, and thin films of Zn(_2)SnO(_4) was variable range hopping, with a temperature dependence of the form exp(To/T)'^\ This result was consistent with Hall effect measurements, where high, temperature independent carrier concentrations of about 10(^17) cm(^-3) were obtained, along with low values of carrier mobility ( ~ 1 cm(^2) v(^-1) sec(^-1)) that obeyed the same temperature dependence as the conductivity, [exp(To/T)(^1/4)]

Comparison of Fennel and Chamomile extract and placebo in treatment of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrheal

Introduction: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrheal are experienced by majority of women in reproductive age and in 1% of the women it is severe enough to interfere with social interaction and work performance. Many investigations on treatment of this problem, in particular on treatment with chemical drugs, have been carried out. The aim in this study is to find whether or not herbaceous drugs such as Fennel and Chamomile, which are generally used in traditional medicine, are effective in treatment of dysmenorrheal and PMS. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 60 women over 16 years of age with a convincing history of premenstrual syndrome were randomly selected and their PMS and dysmenorrheal experiences were investigated in 5 menstruation cycles. During the 1st cycle, they didn’t take any medication, during the 2nd and 3rd cycles they took Fennel extract and during 4th and 5th cycles, they took Chamomile extract. After each cycle they completed a questionnaire containing 16 PMS symptoms. Friedman statistical test was used to compare the results from different cycles. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Based on the results, there was a significant difference between severity of symptoms in the control cycle, and other cycles in 3 of the 16 PMS symptoms (p<0.05). These three symptoms were pelvic and abdominal pains, fatigue and lethargy, depression and anger. As for other symptoms, the severity in the Fennel and Chamomile herbal drugs cycles was less than that of the control cycle, but this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: According to this study, Fennel and Chamomile are effective in reducing some PMS disorders. Fennel is more effective in pelvic and abdominal pain and depression but Chamomile is more effective in fatigue and letharg

Study of hydatid cyst in hospitalized patients with operation in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary province (1988-2007)

زمینه و هدف: بیماری کیست هیداتید یکی از شایع ترین بیماری های مشترک انسان و دام است که ناشی از ابتلای انسان به مرحله لاروی انگل اکی نوکوکوس گرانولوزوس می باشد. شناخت جنبه های اپیدمیولوژیکی بیماری در کنترل و پیشگیری از بیماری ضروری است. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی ده ساله فراوانی بیماران مبتلا به کیست هیداتید جراحی شده در بیمارستان های استان چهارمحال و بختیاری انجام شد. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی -تحلیلی، بیماران مبتلا به کیست هیداتید استان طی سالهای1386 -1377 که در بیمارستان های آیت اله کاشانی شهرکرد، سید الشهداء (ع)فارسان و ولی عصر بروجن (عج) بستری و جراحی شده بودند مورد بررسی قرار گرفتند. اطلاعات به کمک پرسشنامه جمع آوری و با استفاده از آمار توصیفی و تحلیلی (کای دو) تجزیه و تحلیل گردیدند. یافته ها: از مجموع 144 بیمار بررسی شده 98 نفر (68) زن، 93 نفر (65) ساکن روستاها و عشایر و 51 نفر (35) شهرنشین بودند. دامنه سنی بیماری بین 92-11 سال و بیشترین شیوع در گروه سنی 41-27 سال (44 مورد) و کمترین شیوع در گروه سنی بالای 72 سال بود (6 مورد) دیده شد. بیشترین فراوانی در بین زنان خانه دار (60) و کمترین میزان در افراد کارمند (3) دیده شد. از نظر چگونگی محل قرار گرفتن کیست، کیست ها به ترتیب در لوب راست کبد (67) و لوب چپ کبد (10)، قسمت های راست و چپ ریه (6) بودند. نتیجه گیری: با توجه به شیوع بالای این بیماری در بین روستاییان و عشایر و همچنین ارتباط نزدیک انسان، دام و سگ در این مناطق ضرورت آموزش جهت شناخت بهتر بیماری در آنان و شناسایی سگ های آلوده عشایر و درمان آنها جهت کنترل بیماری اجتناب ناپذیر است