Production of English vowels by native Arabic speakers, The

2018 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.When Arabic learners first delve into the English language, they may find many difficulties in pronunciation due to the fact that there are vast differences between English and Arabic, especially regarding the number of vowels and their acoustic realizations. Very few studies have investigated this area of English language acquisition. The aim of this study is to examine the production of English vowels by Arabic speakers and to examine if there are gender differences in the production of English vowels by Arabic English learners. By using the phonetic software Praat, the values of duration and formant of vowel sounds was measured and obtained. English vowels produced by the subjects were recorded and analyzed using Praat, and were compared to results from a research project looking at English native speakers in Colorado. Since the participants were exposed to English and had lived in Colorado, USA, differences in vowel production were discussed and an analysis was conducted. The result of this study displayed that there are significant differences between Saudi ELLs and Colorado English native speakers in almost all the vowels. In addition, this study revealed the significant role of gender and regional dialect in producing English vowels by Arabic speakers

Knowledge Management for Supporting Transformation into a Learning Organization: king Abdulaziz University case study

This study aimed at investigating the perspectives of the teaching staffmembers in king Abdul Aziz university in Jeddah concerning the reality of knowledgemanagement processes at the university, to what extent these processes contribute toachieve the learning organization dimensions, and to identify the obstacles to benefit fromknowledge management in transition to a learning organization. The study alsoinvestigated the extent of different views of the participants in light of the variables ofgender, position, years of experience, and specialization. In addition, the study sought todevelop a suggested scenario for how to achieve the learning organization dimensionsbased on knowledge management processes.In order to achieve the aims of the study, the case study approach has beenemployed. The social unit under study and analysis was the "King Abdul Aziz Universityin Jeddah" with its systems and individuals. Based on this approach, data collection hasbeen carried out by means of the following instruments: the theoretical analyticdescription, surveying questionnaire, and developing the suggested scenario.The field study has been administered to a sample consisting of (419) staffmembers at the university. The questionnaire employed included three main axesinvestigating: the reality of applying knowledge management processes, the status quo oflearning organization dimensions according to Marsick & Watkins’ (2003) model, and theobstacles to benefit from knowledge management processes in attaining learningorganization dimensions. The external validity as well as the internal consistency of thequestionnaire have been verified, in addition to verifying the reliability of thequestionnaire using Alpha Cronbach coefficient.The results of the study revealed that according to the perspectives of theteaching staff members in king Abdul Aziz university, the application of knowledgemanagement processes in King Abdul Aziz University, as well as the existence oflearning organization dimensions were average. On the other hand there were majorobstacles to benefit from knowledge management processes in attaining learningorganization dimensions. The results also found significant differences in the participants’perspectives according to the variables of gender, the employment position, years ofexperience, and specialization. In light of the results reached, the researcher developed asuggested scenario for how to transfer King Abdul Aziz University into a learningorganization based on knowledge management processes and principles. The studyconcluded with presenting recommendations and suggestions for future research

019 - Hanan Alqarni

Includes bibliographical references.In spite of growing attention to the needs of post-secondary English language learners, many of these students continue to struggle with their university coursework. According to Hyland, (2002) gaps in school curricula may be one of the factors contributing to this phenomenon. To address this issue, scholars have suggested that course designers employ Needs Analysis to improve the alignment between curricula at the university level (Zohrabi, 2010). However, without a concrete example of how a needs analysis is conducted, many instructors may be reluctant to take on such a project. The purpose of this panel poster is to provide EAP instructors and course designers with a first-hand account of an actual needs analysis project, and to demonstrate how data from this project was used for curriculum alignment. In this poster, the panelists will begin by introducing the concept of needs analysis, and explaining its relevance to the EAP context. Next, the panelists will discuss how they applied this concept in order to determine the needs of a population of international students at a public university. Participants will learn specifically how data was collected and analyzed using Present Situation Analysis, Target Situation Analysis, and Discourse Analysis methods. They will also learn how the research findings were used to redesign the curriculum of a foundational EAP course, in order to better prepare students for future university coursework. Participants will be given an opportunity to ask questions to the panelists about their work. They will also receive handouts with information about designing, implementing, and applying the results of a needs analysis, with references to sources of additional information.This poster will explore how needs analysis can be used to improve the alignment of post-secondary EAP curricula. The author will discuss her own needs analysis project, detailing her methods of data collection and analysis, and share how the findings were used to redesign the curriculum of an EAP course

Measuring empathy in medical students: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To measure the empathy levels of undergraduate medical students, and to explore whether the empathy level has any significant association with gender, academic year and academic achievement. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from January to March 2020, and comprised medical students. Data was collected using the pre-validated student version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 391 students, 251(64.19%) were females, and 140(35.8%) were males. The overall mean empathy score was 105.18+/-12.51. Second year medical students showed the highest empathy score 108.59+/-13.33. There was minor but significant decline in empathy as the students progressed through their academic studies (p<0.05). Empathy scores were significantly higher in female students (p<0.05), and students with higher grade point average scores (p<0.05). Conclusion: The gradual reduction in empathy is alarming and demands due attention

Isatin Counteracts Diethylnitrosamine/2-Acetylaminofluorene-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Male Wistar Rats by Upregulating Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Detoxification Pathways

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents around 85% of all known types of liver cancers and is estimated to be the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The current study assessed the preventive efficacy of isatin on diethylnitrosamine (DENA)/2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in male Wistar rats and investigated the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. HCC was initiated by intraperitoneal injection of DENA (150 mg/kg/week) for two weeks, followed by oral 2-AAF (20 mg/kg) every other day for three successive weeks. Oral isatin or vehicle (control) was administered at 25 mg/kg for 20 weeks during and following HCC induction. Isatin ameliorated the deleterious effects of DENA/2-AAF on liver function as evidenced by reduced serum levels of AST, ALT, total bilirubin, albumin, and liver tumor biomarkers (CA19.9 and AFP) compared to control DENA/2-AAF-treated rats. Histopathological evaluations demonstrated that isatin-mediated protection against hepatocarcinogenesis was accompanied by a decline in hepatic lipid peroxidation, a marker of oxidative stress, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase expression. Isatin treatment also upregulated expression of the major stress-response transcription factor Nrf2 and the detoxifying enzymes NAD(P)H quinine oxidoreductase and glutathione-S-transferase alpha 2 and downregulated expression of the proliferation marker Ki67. Moreover, isatin significantly reduced the DENA/2-AAF-induced decrease in hepatic expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl2 and the DENA/2-AAF-induced increases in pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic factors (TNF-α, NF-κB p50, NF-κB p65, p53, and caspase 3). Thus, it can be concluded that isatin may protect against chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis by enhancing cellular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification mechanisms, in part through upregulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway

Isatin Counteracts Diethylnitrosamine/2-Acetylaminofluorene-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Male Wistar Rats by Upregulating Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Detoxification Pathways

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents around 85% of all known types of liver cancers and is estimated to be the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The current study assessed the preventive efficacy of isatin on diethylnitrosamine (DENA)/2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in male Wistar rats and investigated the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. HCC was initiated by intraperitoneal injection of DENA (150 mg/kg/week) for two weeks, followed by oral 2-AAF (20 mg/kg) every other day for three successive weeks. Oral isatin or vehicle (control) was administered at 25 mg/kg for 20 weeks during and following HCC induction. Isatin ameliorated the deleterious effects of DENA/2-AAF on liver function as evidenced by reduced serum levels of AST, ALT, total bilirubin, albumin, and liver tumor biomarkers (CA19.9 and AFP) compared to control DENA/2-AAF-treated rats. Histopathological evaluations demonstrated that isatin-mediated protection against hepatocarcinogenesis was accompanied by a decline in hepatic lipid peroxidation, a marker of oxidative stress, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase expression. Isatin treatment also upregulated expression of the major stress-response transcription factor Nrf2 and the detoxifying enzymes NAD(P)H quinine oxidoreductase and glutathione-S-transferase alpha 2 and downregulated expression of the proliferation marker Ki67. Moreover, isatin significantly reduced the DENA/2-AAF-induced decrease in hepatic expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl2 and the DENA/2-AAF-induced increases in pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic factors (TNF-&alpha;, NF-&kappa;B p50, NF-&kappa;B p65, p53, and caspase 3). Thus, it can be concluded that isatin may protect against chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis by enhancing cellular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification mechanisms, in part through upregulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway

Vulgarin, a Sesquiterpene Lactone from Artemisia judaica, Improves the Antidiabetic Effectiveness of Glibenclamide in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats via Modulation of PEPCK and G6Pase Genes Expression

The current investigation assessed the effect of the eudesmanolid, Vulgarin (VGN), obtained from Artemisia judaica (A. judaica), on the antidiabetic potential of glibenclamide (GLB) using streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes. Seven groups of rats were used in the study; the first group received the vehicle and served as normal control. The diabetic rats of the second to the fifth groups were treated with the vehicle (negative control), GLB at 5 mg/kg (positive control), VGN at 10 mg/kg (VGN-10) and VGN at 20 mg/kg (VGN-20), respectively. The diabetic rats of the sixth and seventh groups were administered combinations of GLB plus VGN-10 and GLB plus VGN-20, respectively. The diabetic rats treated with GLB plus VGN-20 combination showed marked improvement in the fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), as well as the lipid profile, compared with those treated with GLB alone. Further, the pancreatic tissues of the diabetic rats that received the GLB+VGN-20 combination showed superior improvements in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant parameters than those of GLB monotherapy. The insulin content of the &beta;-cells was restored in all treatments, while the levels of glucagon and somatostatin of the &alpha;- and &delta;-endocrine cells were reduced in the pancreatic islets. In addition, the concurrent administration of GLB+VGN-20 was the most effective in restoring PEPCK and G6Pase mRNA expression in the liver. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the GLB+VGN-20 combination led to greater glycemic improvement in diabetic rats compared with GLB monotherapy through its antioxidant effect and capability to modulate PEPCK and G6Pase gene expression in their livers

CHRONIC JOINT PAIN MANAGEMENT

Introduction: In the year 2010, the Pain Management Task Force of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) stated on their guidelines regarding pain as a crucial consideration within the clinical practice of rheumatologists and rheumatology around the world. The Executive Committee of the ACR later recommended the task force to raise the knowledge of a rheumatologist’s part during the management of pain and the place of pain in rheumatology-related research, practice, and clinical education protocols. The report included guidelines to be recommended by the ACR and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP). Since the year 2010, the Institute of Medicine published their guidelines with the title “Relieving Pain in America,” which focused on the importance of tailoring pain care to the special needs of the level of individual patients; these guidelines also emphasized on the high importance of inter-disciplinary clinical care. however, in the last decade, the guidelines of ACR Pain Management Task Force have achieved only limited goals as had occurred similarly with similar guidelines published by other association like the Institute of Medicine. With the 2010 Task Force guidelines in mind, this review will provide an update of the status of the place of pain as a general concern during the practice of the subspecialty of rheumatology.Aim of work: In this review, we will discuss Chronic joint pain management.Methodology: We did a systematic search for Chronic joint pain management in the emergency department using PubMed search engine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com). All relevant studies were retrieved and discussed. We only included full articles.Conclusions: The issue of pain and its therapy is still an area of research, debates and clinical significance. Our understanding of pain pathophysiology is improving but remains not complete. Pain therapies remain insufficient in benefits and linked to with several toxicities. Despite this, rheumatologists and physicians continue to treat patients with painful rheumatic conditions on a daily basis. The specialty of rheumatology, through its professional organizations ACR and ARHP must keep the forefront of advances in the elucidation of pain and its impact on patients with rheumatic diseases. The ACR and ARHP must be committed to supporting pain research and informing its membership, including trainees, about advances in this field. Key words: Chronic joint pain, causes, management