Personalized Learning in Virtual Learning Environments Using Students’ Behavior Analysis

In recent years, many research studies have focused on personalized e-learning. One of the most crucial parts of any learning environment is having a learning style that focuses on individual learning. In this paper, we propose an approach to personalizing learning resources based on students’ learning styles in a virtual learning environment to enhance their academic performance. Students’ interactions with the learning management system are utilized to analyze learners’ behaviors. The Felder–Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM) is used to map students’ interactions with online learning resources to learning style (LS) features. The learning style and demographic features are then utilized for training machine learning models to predict students’ academic performance in each quarter of courses. The most accurate prediction model for each quarter is then used to find learning style features that maximize students’ pass rates. We statistically prove that students whose actual learning style features were close enough to the ones calculated by the approach achieved better grades. To improve students’ academic performance each quarter, we suggest two strategies based on the learning style features calculated by the process

Impacts on Students’ Academic Performance Due to Emergency Transition to Remote Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Financial Engineering Course Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has enforced higher education institutions to adopt emergency remote teaching (ERT) as the substitution for traditional face-to-face (F2F) classes. A lot of concerns have been raised among education institutions, faculty, and students regarding the effectiveness of this sudden shift to online learning. This study aims to statistically investigate the impacts of such a transition on the academic performance of undergraduate students enrolled in the Financial Engineering course. A novel rank percentage measure is proposed and employed to compare the academic performance of around 500 students who attended the course during the four semesters, including the transitional disrupted semester by the pandemic, two consecutive online semesters, and the traditional face-to-face classroom. Our analysis emphasizes the significance of the differences between specific subgroups of the students. In particular, academically average to good students with cumulative GPAs greater than 2.90 have been negatively impacted by the transition to online learning, whereas the results for students with cumulative GPAs less than 2.90 are not very conclusive. Realizing the effects of such closures on the academic performance of students is considered important, since the results might have some merits for other courses and instructors. The template model can be transferred to other courses, and employed by the university administrators, specifically for developing policies in emergency circumstances that are not limited to pandemics

Impacts on Students’ Academic Performance Due to Emergency Transition to Remote Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Financial Engineering Course Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has enforced higher education institutions to adopt emergency remote teaching (ERT) as the substitution for traditional face-to-face (F2F) classes. A lot of concerns have been raised among education institutions, faculty, and students regarding the effectiveness of this sudden shift to online learning. This study aims to statistically investigate the impacts of such a transition on the academic performance of undergraduate students enrolled in the Financial Engineering course. A novel rank percentage measure is proposed and employed to compare the academic performance of around 500 students who attended the course during the four semesters, including the transitional disrupted semester by the pandemic, two consecutive online semesters, and the traditional face-to-face classroom. Our analysis emphasizes the significance of the differences between specific subgroups of the students. In particular, academically average to good students with cumulative GPAs greater than 2.90 have been negatively impacted by the transition to online learning, whereas the results for students with cumulative GPAs less than 2.90 are not very conclusive. Realizing the effects of such closures on the academic performance of students is considered important, since the results might have some merits for other courses and instructors. The template model can be transferred to other courses, and employed by the university administrators, specifically for developing policies in emergency circumstances that are not limited to pandemics

Neck, back, and shoulder pains and ergonomic factors among dental students

Background: Dynamic and static activities in dentistry cause musculoskeletal disorders, but dental students do not have sufficient awareness about the effects of ergonomic factors on their health. The aim of this study was to investigate ergonomic factors that cause pain muscle in dental students in Kerman Medical University, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis study was carried out on dental students of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th year, in clinical practice in the School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. A convenient sample of 199 students who met the inclusion criteria was selected and those willing to participate signed an informed consent form. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors and the presence of pain. The variables evaluated were pain, affected zones, gender, postures, and work environment. Results: The present research work reveals that over 69% of the dental students complained of pain in at least one part of their body. Most individuals suffered from hand and elbow (23%) and head (19%) pain. The clinical areas where more pain was found were endodontics and pedodontics. Furthermore, it was found that a high percentage of students usually worked with their legs slightly separated, with the sole of the feet resting on the stool when working. The presence of muscular pain was higher in males in this study. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship with the final Rapid Entire Body Assessment score in different body parts and the participants' demographic data (sex, age, weight, height, sports, and smoking). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the students' sitting positions and working environments need to be improved and it seems more training is necessary in this field

In-Vitro Evaluation of Crocus Sativus L. Petals and Stamens as Natural Antibacterial Agents Against Food-Borne Bacterial Strains: Crocus sativus L. petals and stamens as natural antibacterial agents against food-borne bacterial strains

Growing interest to use natural preservatives and spices with antimicrobial effects and large amounts of floral bio-residues (92.6 g per 100 g) generated and wasted in the production of saffron spice guided this study to evaluate the opportunity to expand the uses of C. sativus flowers (petals and stamens), beyond the spice (dried stigmas). The antibacterial potential of total extracts and different sub-fractions of floral bio-residues of saffron production (petals and stamens) were primarily evaluated against five bacterial strains potentially causing food-borne disease (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae) using well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined by macrodilution method. Methanol extract of petals had shown more antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. enteric, and S. dysenteriae compared to stigma. Methanol extract and ethyl acetate sub-fraction of stamens showed more antimicrobial effect against B. cereus and E. coli. The petals total extract showed the most antibacterial activity against Shigella dysenteriae (MIC 15.6mg/ml) while the ethyl acetate and chloroform sub fractions showed the maximum effect against Bacillus cereus(MIC 62.5mg/ml). Stamen methanol total extract and aqueous sub fraction have the maximum effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus (MIC 62.5mg/ml) while the ethyl acetate sub fraction has the best effect against Shigella dysenteriae (MIC 15.6mg/ml). Results showed that both petals and stamens could act as new and natural sources of antibacterial agents with food industrial applications

In-Vitro Evaluation of Crocus Sativus L. Petals and Stamens as Natural Antibacterial Agents Against Food-Borne Bacterial Strains

Abstract Growing interest to use natural preservatives and spices with antimicrobial effects and large amounts of floral bioresidues (92.6 g per 100 g) generated and wasted in the production of saffron spice guided this study to evaluate the opportunity to expand the uses of C. sativus flowers (petals and stamens), beyond the spice (dried stigmas). The antibacterial potential of total extracts and different sub-fractions of floral bio-residues of saffron production (petals and stamens) were primarily evaluated against five bacterial strains potentially causing food-borne disease (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae) using well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined by macrodilution method. Methanol extract of petals had shown more antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. enteric, and S. dysenteriae compared to stigma. Methanol extract and ethyl acetate sub-fraction of stamens showed more antimicrobial effect against B. cereus and E. coli. The petals total extract showed the most antibacterial activity against Shigella dysenteriae (MIC 15.6mg/ml) while the ethyl acetate and chloroform sub fractions showed the maximum effect against Bacillus cereus(MIC 62.5mg/ml). Stamen methanol total extract and aqueous sub fraction have the maximum effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus (MIC 62.5mg/ml) while the ethyl acetate sub fraction has the best effect against Shigella dysenteriae (MIC 15.6mg/ml). Results showed that both petals and stamens could act as new and natural sources of antibacterial agents with food industrial applications

Poorly differentiated laryngeal neuroendocrine neoplasm with high serum calcitonin level, a case report, with literature review

Abstract Neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) of the larynx consists of 0.6% of laryngeal cancer and is the second most common type after squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Laryngeal NEN rarely secret calcitonin and should be differentiated from medullary thyroid carcinoma. It makes a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. We describe a case of a laryngeal NEN with calcitonin hypersecretion. A 59‐year‐old man presented to our clinic with recurrent cough, dysphonia, hoarseness, cervical mass, and significant weight loss. Diagnostic workup showed a supraglottic mass. Biopsy of the lesion revealed large‐cell neuroendocrine neoplasm. Further diagnostic workup showed elevated serum calcitonin level. The patient underwent total laryngectomy, thyroidectomy, and modified radical neck dissection. During his follow‐up, new subcutaneous nodules appeared that were biopsy‐proven metastases. Then adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was performed. Laryngeal NEN with hypersecretion of calcitonin is a rare entity. In patients with elevated serum calcitonin levels and head and neck tumors, it should be considered a differential diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma. As the management and prognosis of these two neoplasms are entirely different