An investigation of educational provision for students with learning disabilities (LD)/ dyslexia in primary schools in Saudi Arabia: an ethnographic case study

Even though the first verse in the Holy Quran says explicitly “Read”, each year there are thousands of children in Saudi Arabia who fail to achieve their potential in education due to difficulties in reading, writing and spelling. This study investigates educational provision for learner with literacy skills difficulties in primary schools in Saudi Arabia. It further investigates participants’ perceptions towards the concept of dyslexia as a type of learning disability. This study is significant in the sense that it offers a unique educational perspective on this subject area as it will contribute to improving understanding of educational practices for students with LD/dyslexia in settings of spoken and written Arabic with a view to enhancing academic progress of the individuals with LD/dyslexia. Using an ethnographic case study approach, data have been collected from school staff, academic staff of University, student with LD/dyslexia and their parents. Semi-structured interviews, documents analysis and observations have been used as the principal methods of data collection. Data is being analysed using thematic analysis in order to interpret the relationship between the participants around the policy provision and practices that shape educational experiences of learners with LD/dyslexia in primary schools in Saudi Arabia

Patent regulation in North-South and South-South Trade Agreements

The article provides a comparative examination of patent provisions in both North-South and South-South Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs). It assesses whether the flexibilities of World Trade Organization Agreement on trade-related aspect Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), are getting eliminated, preserved or affirmed in the studied PTAs. The article studies the PTAs of both the United States and European Union with developing countries as examples of North-South agreements, and the PTAs of both China and India with developing countries as examples of South-South agreements. The PTAs of US show systematic efforts to eliminate TRIPS flexibilities. EU chapters on IP engage partner countries to accede or comply with WIPO treaties in its earlier versions, and converge toward US approach in its latest versions. By contrast, China PTAs affirm commitment under TRIPS and emphasis some of its flexibilities. Patent related issues are absent from India’s PTAs

Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection for macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusion persisting despite multiple intravitreal bevacizumab injections.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the response to intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for macular edema persisting or recurring despite multiple intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) treatments for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). METHODS: Retrospective interventional case series of 21 eyes with CRVO from 21 patients who were diagnosed with persistent or recurrent macular edema secondary to CRVO and treated with 0.1mL (4mg) intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) after initial treatment with 3 or more IVB injections. Anatomic and visual responses were the study primary outcomes. RESULTS: Mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity was 1.19 (20/316) immediately before IVTA injection, and improved to 1.04 (20/219) 1 month after IVTA administration (P=0.003). The mean central macular thickness on optical coherence tomography decreased from 533.4 μm immediately before IVTA to 327.9 μm after IVTA injection (P CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide appears to improve vision and reduce persistent or recurrent macular edema secondary to CRVO despite multiple bevacizumab injections

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBESITY AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE

The American Journal of Public Health (2004) editorializes obesity as ‘the public health challenge of our time.’ Obesity creates risk for chronic health problems, is associated with increased mortality and exists in complexes of multiple, clustered behavioral risk factors. Fine (2004) identifies obesity among the four most common risk factors of chronic disease [cigarette smoking, risky drinking of alcohol, physical inactivity, overweight]. That set of risk factors applied to the 2001 National Health Interview Survey showed 17 percent (among 29,000) possessed three or more. Obesity with raised cholesterol and hypertension is the major cause of mortality and disease in Europe (James 2004) and is an issue for developing countries as well (Caballero 2001). Adipocytes in the adipose (fatty) tissues of obese people produce quantities of active molecules like leptin, important in regulating energy expenditure (thus body weight). Adipocyte-derived active molecules (adipocytokines) are candidates for the close association between obesity and multiple risk factor syndromes. Similarly periodontal disease is one of the world’s most common chronic diseases [possibly 35 percent of U.S. adults ages 30-40]. Increasing evidence establishes periodontal disease as a significant risk factor in the etiology of diseases with inflammatory components. [Severe periodontal disease is the well-established sixth complication of diabetes (Lőe 1993) and the relationship may be two-way (Grossi THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBESITY AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE Ahmad Alshareef D.M.D. University of Pittsburgh, 2012 v 1998).] Obesity is a systemic disease predisposing to co-morbidities and complications that affect overall health; cross-sectional research suggests obesity is associated with periodontal diseases by underlying biologic mechanisms yet to be established. Linking evidence in the pathophysiology of both points toward inflammatory processes: The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is produced by adipocytes and the concentration of TNF-alpha is elevated in the obese, declining with weight loss. TNF-alpha suppresses insulin action via its specific receptor. Hence TNF-alpha exacerbates insulin resistance. The purpose of this research is to determine if subjects with obesity have a higher chance of developing periodontal disease, using statistical analyses of a retrospective review of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine electronic health record [EHR]

Effect of Human Resource Management Practices on Mobilization Behavior Mediating Role of Procedural Justice

The goal of this research was to determine the effect of HRM practices and the mediating role of Procedural justice on the mobilization behaviors of employees in the manufacturing sector. This study considered HRM practices those linked to human resources development of skills, evaluation and feedback on performance and information sharing. The study has descriptive-quantitative nature, using a structured questionnaire with 29 questions, carried through a random sample of 100 organizational employees. This study applied descriptive statistics and SEM techniques for the analysis of causal relationships. The results revealed that the hypothesis concerning the direct influence of competence development practices was confirmed, however, feedback on performance and information sharing had a positive effect on the behaviors, Similarly, the perception of procedural justice as a mediator in the information sharing practice, assessment and feedback on performance and Information sharing revealed significant influence on behavior, it was fully confirmed. These results indicate that mobilizing HRM practices may stimulate the adoption of positive behaviors by the employees of organization, but, however, may not be sufficient to improve them, if not also implemented practices of justice in which employees could develop feelings of deep emotional links to the institution and, consequently, improve relationships, motivation and collective performance

The Importance of Using Mobile Learning in Supporting Teaching and Learning of English Language in the Secondary Stage

The aim of this study is to recognize the importance of using mobile learning in supporting teaching and learning English among students at secondary stage through the identification of potential uses for smart phones and tablets, and the roles it can play in assisting the teaching and learning of English among secondary school students in the city of Mecca, from the viewpoint of the supervisors and teachers of English, also aimed to find out the presence of statistically significant differences between the mean responses of members of the study population due to the variables: nature of work, academic qualification, years of service, and number of training courses. The researcher used the descriptive survey, and the questionnaire was its tool, and was applied to all members of the study population in the city of Mecca for the first semester of the year 1435 AH, and 210 responded, by 195 teachers and 15 supervisor. After using the suitable statistical methods study reached to the following conclusions: there is a strong approval on the feasible uses of mobile learning and roles in supporting the teaching and learning of English at the secondary stage from the viewpoint of the supervisors and teachers of English, no statistically significant differences between the mean responses of study sample on possible uses for mobile learning and roles in supporting teaching and learning of English among secondary school students due to (nature of work, academic qualification , years of service), while statistically significant differences is found between the mean responses of the study sample on possible uses of mobile learning and roles in supporting the teaching and learning of English among secondary school students is due to number of training courses; in favor of members attended 16 training course of more; where the arithmetic mean of their responses is the highest. In the light of the results of the study, the researcher suggested a number of recommendations including: activate the use of mobile learning devices, and urge students to take advantage of them to support the teaching and learning of English in various stages of education, establish training courses for supervisors and teacher of English in communications and information technology and its role in supporting teaching and learning of English language