Volunteer Work and Socializing Activities: Impact on Campus Internationalization

The social and cultural adjustment challenges facing international students have always attracted the attention of university and college administrators (Pinheiro, 2001; Reedstrom, 2005; Zhao, Kuh &, Carini, 2005). As colleges try to make up for the loss in international recruitment in the post 9/11 phase, various volunteer efforts are encouraged to welcome, orient, and integrate international students into the American life and society (Wit, 2002). While serving their original purpose of asserting the friendliness and the welcoming gestures of host institutions to international students, these volunteer efforts aim indirectly to increase international enrollment and campus internationalization. Recognizing the possible potentials of these efforts and their expected impact on recruitment, retention, and success of international students at a Mid-Western public research university, this study examined the role of a range of volunteer efforts in engaging, recruiting, and retaining international students on an American higher education setting. Traditional qualitative techniques like interviews, document reviews, and observations were utilized in the data collection. Three themes emerged around collaboration between volunteers and the university including: university support for volunteer activities, obstacles to volunteer work, and the influence of volunteer activities on international students. Findings shed lights on ways to maximize benefits of volunteer work engaging and easing the adjustment challenges of international students and its impact on campus internationalization. Findings also showed that these efforts and activities, though partially recognized, might face challenges that hinder the achievement of their desired outcomes

Missions and Practices of Student Learning Assessment: An International Comparative Study

Classroom assessment of student learning is part and parcel of the educational processes that both faculty and administrators use to guide their practices, ensure program effectiveness, and use as checkpoints for student achievement (Palomba & Panta, 1999). Mission statements and articulated policies often mention varied and continuous assessment techniques of student learning. However, how much they are reflected on the educational practices varies due to different factors like government mandates, requirements of accreditation, social factors, market forces, and accountability to stake holders which can all be credited for the degree of adherence to assessment best practices (Burke, 2005). This qualitative study is an effort to explore student learning assessment techniques at an American university which adopts the active learning approach and an urban Egyptian University where efforts of adopting the comprehensive learning approach are taking place. Research questions included: What are the evaluation tools utilized to measure students learning? What are the perceptions of faculty and students about the adequacy of these evaluation techniques? To what levels are these techniques standardized? What are the efforts made to get student feedback about the efficiency of these techniques for improvement purposes? Recommendations for maximizing student success and learning outcomes included: more campus professional development initiatives, adopting a progress and developmental approach of assessment, and involvement of professors and students in designing the assessment process. The study offers valuable information for administrators of higher education institutions and education faculty focusing on assessment, accountability, administration, curriculum planning, student success, and student engagement

Mass Media Created Stereotypes: Influence on Student Learning

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the case of Saudi students at Riversdale State University (a pseudonym) with regard to the influence of the stereotype threat (McGlone & Aronson, 2007) created by TV and newspaper coverage when presenting images of Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, or the Muslim world. The study also aims at revealing the effects that the perception of the aforementioned stereotype can have on the academic success, social integration, and persistence of Saudi students. The research follows the qualitative approach to reveal the human aspects of the case and the degree of intensity that these stereotypes may create. Findings revealed essential information especially with the influx of Saudi students into the United States since 2006. They explained a part of the multifaceted situation specific to the case of Saudi students and showed the importance of awareness among students and college administrators of their situation. The findings also highlighted the importance of the active role of the Saudi students responding to these stereotypes

Dermatoglyphics as a Non-Invasive Anatomical Marker in Early Childhood Caries

Background/Aim: Dermatoglyphics is supposed to be influenced by genetic and environmental factors and so also dental caries. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to find out a possible relation between some quantitative and qualitative dermatoglyphic variables and early childhood caries (ECC). Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 200 children in age group of 3 to 6 years from two private kindergarten, Egypt, and divided into 2 equal groups i.e. caries active group (n=100) and caries free group (n=100). The caries active group included children with dmft index = 4 or more and caries free group consist of normal, healthy children without any dental caries. The finger prints of both hands were taken using a stamp pad method then qualitative and quantitative data of dermatoglyphics were analyzed. Results: There was increase in frequency of whorls and decrease in frequency of loops in caries active group when compared to caries free group which was statistically significant (p = 0.000). The total finger ridge counts of whorls was higher in caries active children while total finger ridge counts of loops and the atd angles were higher in caries free children. The differences were statistically significant (p = 0.000). Conclusion: Early childhood caries susceptibility of an individual increased with increased frequency of whorl pattern but it decreased with increased frequency of loop pattern and increased atd angl

Ultrasonographic Monitoring of Reproductive Organs of Barki Rams during early Non- Breeding Season

The aim of the present study was to monitor the testes and the accessory sex glands in ram during early non-breeding season with ultrasonography. A clinically healthy eight adult Egyptian Barki rams were used in this study to compare ultrasonographic and measurements of reproductive organs. A scanning technique based on multiple imaging of scrotal contents and also imaging pelvic urethra and accessory sex glands. The results revealed that scrotum circumference was 28.87±1.1 cm and the testicular parenchyma was homogeneous granular medium gray to dark gray. The mediastinum testis appeared as central white linear structure of greater echogenicity than testicular parenchyma. The tail of the epididymis was clearly visible, less echoic than the testicular parenchyma with a more heterogeneous structure. Ampulla appeared as a non-echogenic to hypoechogenic linear lumen. Vesicular gland appeared as a heterogeneous hypo-echogenic structure with irregular outline and circumscribed with echogenic line. The lumen of the pelvic urethra appeared as non-echogenic tube surrounded by moderately echogenic urethral muscle. Pars disseminata of prostate was seen spread along the lumen of the pelvic urethra. Bulbourethral glands appeared with variable echogenicity from hypo-echogenicity to moderate echogenicity. From this study, it could be concluded that the echogenicity and the biometry of accessory sex glands and testes are important parameters for the selection of breeding rams

Antioxidant activities and flavonoid contents of selected plants belonging to Family Loranthaceae

The methanolic extract of three parasitic plants belonging to family Loranthaceae (Plicosepalus acacia, Plicosepalus curviflorus and Phragmanthera austro arabica) were investigated for their antioxidant activity. The free radical and nitrogen oxide scavenging abilities were evaluated using diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and Griess reagent was used to determine the total antioxidant activity. The three extracts showed comparable activities. The three activities ranged from 18 to 56% of the activity of standard ascorbic. The total flavonoid contents were determined and calculated in terms of quercetin which was detected in all the examined extracts. The quercetin concentration was determined using high performance thin layer chromatography using CHCl3 : MeOH : glacial acetic acid (8.5: 1.5: 0.1) for development. The maximum sensitivity was obtained when the plates were scanned at 360 nm. The concentration of quercetin varied from 0.157 (P. austro arabica) to 0.062 g% (P. acacia) and P. curviflorus contained 0.115 g% w/w quercetin. All validation parameters were found to be satisfactory regarding accuracy, precision, limits of detection and quantitation.Key words: Loranthaceae, antioxidant, spectrophotometry, high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), flavonoids, quercetin, ascorbic acid

New Exact Jacobi Elliptic Function Solutions for Nonlinear Equations Using F-expansion Method

In this work, Jacobi elliptic function solutions for integrable nonlinear equations using F-expansion method are represented. KdV and Boussinesq equations are considered and new results are obtained.Key Words: Jacobi elliptic functions; F-expansion method; Solitary waves; Periodic solution

Whole-body diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression and quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient in the detection, staging, and grading of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Purpose: Assess reproducibility of detection, staging, and grading of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) using wholebody diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression (WB-DWIBS). Material and methods: Thirty NHL patients underwent WB-DWIBS, divided into 2 groups according to staging and grading. Image analysis and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement of the largest lymph node in each group were performed by 2 observers. Inter-observer agreement was performed. Results: Overall inter-observer agreement for detection of NHL was excellent (k = 0.843; 92.05%) with excellent inter-observer agreement of nodal disease (cervical, thoracic and abdominal) (k = 0.783, 0.769, and 0.856; 96.67%, 90.0%, and 93.3% respectively), extra-nodal disease (k = 1; 100%), and splenic involvement (k = 0.67; 83.3%). The overall inter-observer agreement of DWIBS in staging of NHL was excellent (k = 0.90; 94.9%) with excellent inter-observer agreement for stage I (k = 0.93; 96.4%), stage II (k = 0.90; 94.8%), stage III (k = 0.89; 94.6%), and stage IV (k = 0.88; 94.0%). There was significant difference between ADC in stage I, II (0.77 ± 0.13, 0.85 ± 0.09 × 10-3 mm2/s), and stage III, IV (0.63 ± 0.08, 0.64 ± 0.11 × 10-3 mm2 /s, p < 0.002, < 0.001). Interclass correlation showed almost perfect agreement for ADC measurement in staging and grading groups (r = 0.96 and r = 0.85, respectively, p < 0.001). There was significant difference between ADC in aggressive lymphoma (0.65 ± 0.1, 0.67 ± 0.13 × 10-3 mm2/s) and indolent lymphoma (0.76 ± 0.14, 0.84 ± 0.09 × 10-3 mm2/s, p < 0.028, < 0.001). Conclusion: DWIBS is reproducible for detection and staging of nodal and extra-nodal involvement in patients with NHL. ADC can quantitatively participate in the staging and grading of NHL