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Because intercultural communication has become one of the most demanded skills in the current digitalized world, many educational institutions aspire to graduate students who possess intercultural skills and are able to successfully communicate with people from diverse cultures. However, intercultural communication has not received much attention in the Lebanese context, especially in schools. To this end, this paper examines the Lebanese high school directors' perceptions of intercultural communication. As pragmatists, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the problem under investigation. Using a snowball sampling, they surveyed the perceptions of 55 Lebanese directors in private and public high schools and interviewed two informants in the Center for Educational Research and Development. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, the derived conclusions were compared to ensure trustworthiness of the findings. Major findings showed that though intercultural communication is a learning outcome in most schools, it is mostly taught at the knowledge level in the foreign language classrooms. Assessment of this outcome is neither systematic nor consistent. It was also shown that directors in private schools tend to be more informed than those in the public sector. Recommendations are made for enhancing intercultural communication skills in Lebanese educational institutions.

Medical education continually adapts to the needs of future health care professionals, with student motivation in research being a pivotal aspect. This study at Alfaisal University aimed to explore the motivations, benefits, and challenges faced by medical students in extracurricular research activities. Using a mixed-method approach, we combined quantitative surveys with qualitative group interviews. Findings revealed that both extrinsic (e.g., enhancing postgraduate training prospects) and intrinsic (e.g., personal interest and skill refinement) factors significantly motivate students to be involved in research activities. Participants unanimously acknowledged skill enhancement, particularly in literature comprehension, creative ideation, and networking. However, challenges such as conflicts with course scheduling, lack of hands-on experiences, and mentorship issues were identified as potential barriers to research participation. Addressing these barriers and understanding motivations can inform the design of research programs, enhancing the overall student research experience. This study underscores the importance of research in medical education, emphasizing the need for institutions to prioritize addressing challenges and leveraging benefits to prepare medical students for a research-integrated clinical future.

Abstract Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disorder that severely affects neurodevelopment, and its underlying causes are not yet entirely understood. Research suggests that there may be a connection between the occurrence of ASD and changes in immune responses. This study aims to know if some biochemical and inflammatory cytokines are promising biomarkers for ASD and whether they are involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. Methods The serum levels of CRP, TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1β, IL-10, 1 L-8, and IL-6 were measured in all of the patients (n = 22) and in the healthy (n = 12) children using ELISA method. Results The serum concentrations of IL-10 and IL-8 were significantly lower in the ASD patients compared to the control group (p

Abstract Autoimmune diseases result from autoantigen-mediated activation of adaptive immunity; intriguingly, autoantigen-specific T cells are also present in healthy donors. An assessment of dynamic changes of this autoreactive repertoire in both health and disease is thus warranted. Here we investigate the physiological versus pathogenic autoreactive processes in the context of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and one of its landmark autoantigens, glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65). Using single cell gene expression profiling and tandem T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, we find that GAD65-specific true naïve cells are present in both health and disease, with GAD65-specific effector and memory responses showing similar ratios in healthy donors and patients. Deeper assessment of phenotype and TCR repertoire uncover differential features in GAD65-specific TCRs, including lower clonal sizes of healthy donor-derived clonotypes in patients. We thus propose a model whereby physiological autoimmunity against GAD65 is needed during early life, and that alterations of these physiological autoimmune processes in predisposed individuals trigger overt Type 1 diabetes.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming integral to medical practice, potentially enhancing outcomes in thoracic surgery. AI-driven models have shown significant accuracy in diagnosing non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), predicting lymph node metastasis, and aiding in the efficient extraction of electronic medical record (EMR) data. Moreover, AI applications in robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and perioperative management reveal the potential to improve surgical precision, patient safety, and overall care efficiency. Despite these advancements, challenges such as data privacy, biases, and ethical concerns remain. This manuscript explores AI applications, particularly machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP), in thoracic surgery, emphasizing their role in diagnosis and perioperative management. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the current state, benefits, and limitations of AI in thoracic surgery, highlighting future directions in the field.

Abstract Background Oral health has been associated with general health conditions, but few longitudinal studies evaluated the effect of dentition status on gait speed. Objective This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between different time-varying measures of dentition status (i.e., number of teeth, the presence of periodontal pockets and the functional impact of oral health) and gait speed (outcome) in older Brazilian adults. Materials and methods This was a prospective study using data from the Health, Well-being and Aging cohort study (SABE) from 2006, 2010 and 2015. The gait speed was the dependent variable and the independent variables of interest were dentition status evaluated using the number of teeth, use of dental prostheses, presence of periodontal pocket, clinical attachment loss and self-perceived poor functional oral health. Dentition status measures were obtained through clinical oral examinations, performed by trained dentists using standardized criteria proposed by the World Health Organization. Self-perceived poor functional oral health was evaluated using the functional domain of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. The longitudinal effect of dentition status on gait speed was evaluated using mixed-effects linear models. The effect of the number of teeth/periodontal pocket/attachment loss on gait speed change over time was evaluated by including an interaction term between these variables. The effect of periodontal pocket was tested only among dentate individuals. Results Data for the complete sample included 3,306 observations from 1,964 individuals. The analyses for dentate individuals included 1,883 observations from 1,149 individuals. There was a positive association between the number of teeth and mean gait speed. Individuals using dental prostheses also had higher means of gait speed than those without dental prostheses. Gait speed was lower among individuals with periodontal pockets and with attachment loss. No interaction was found between any of the indicators of dentition status and time. Conclusion Gait speed was associated with dentition status and this association was constant over time.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationships between affective commitment (AC), innovative work behavior (IWB) and organizational socialization strategies (training, coworker support, understanding and future prospects) to ensure the viability and prosperity of businesses in Iraq. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology includes demographic analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings: An analysis of survey data based on a random sample of participating employees shows that training, understanding and future prospects all significantly and positively affect employee AC. Coworker support does not significantly affect AC. Employees' AC to their companies significantly positively affects their IWB. Employees' AC to their companies significantly mediates the relationships between training, understanding, future prospects and IWB. Company practices regarding training, understanding, coworker support and future prospects do not affect employees' IWB. Research limitations/implications: The authors conducted the study in Sulaymaniyah. The results may not apply to Iraq and other nations. Researchers from various industries and countries can evaluate the model. The research ignores company age, size and fit between individuals and organizations. Originality/value: The study closes a research gap in organizational behavior by exploring the association between managerial socialization strategies, AC and creative work behavior in Iraq.

Abstract Background Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is considered one of the most common medical disorders observed during pregnancy. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), anemia and micronutrients deficiencies among pregnant women are associated with low consumption of animal products, monotonous starchy-diets, and seasonal consumption of vegetables and fruits. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 198 pregnant mothers aged between 19–45 years who visited the antenatal care clinics in Northern Jordan to document the prevalence of IDA and to describe the associations between dietary diversity, diet quality scores and oral iron supplementation with the pregnant women iron status. Participants were stratified into three groups by gestational age (n = 66 women per group). Gestational age, blood parameters, minimum dietary diversity score (MDD-W), and prime diet quality score for healthy (PDQSHF) and unhealthy foods (PDQSUF) were assessed using 24- hour dietary recall. Results Prevalence of mild to moderate anemia was 27.8% among pregnant women. Third-trimester pregnant women were most affected. 52.5% have depleted iron stores (ferritin 4 servings/week of unhealthy food groups. Mothers with higher MDD-W and PDQS had higher Hb and serum concentrations. Those taking iron supplements had significantly (p = 0.001) higher means of Hb, serum ferritin, and gestational weight gain. Significant differences were also found between PDQSHF, PDQSUF and the first and third trimester. Conclusions Mild to moderate IDA is prevalent among pregnant mothers, especially in the third trimester. However, the prevalence of IDA among Jordanian pregnant women is lower than the global average. A high-quality, diverse diet, combined with oral iron supplementation and food fortification with iron, will help improve iron status, prevent anemia, and reduce its prevalence.

YouTube® is one of the leading platforms for health information. However, the lack of regulation of content and quality raises concerns about accuracy and reliability. CoMICs (Concise Medical Information Cines) are evidence-based short videos created by medical students and junior doctors and reviewed by experts to ensure clinical accuracy. We performed a systematic review to understand the impact of videos on knowledge and awareness about diabetes and PCOS. We then evaluated the quality of YouTube® videos about diabetes and PCOS using various validated quality assessment tools and compared these with CoMICs videos on the same topics. Quality assessment tools like DISCERN, JAMA benchmark criteria, and global quality scale (GQS) score were employed. Some of the authors of this study also co-authored the creation of some of the CoMICs evaluated. Our study revealed that while videos effectively improve understanding of diabetes and PCOS, there are notable differences in quality and reliability of the videos on YouTube®. For diabetes, CoMICs videos had higher DISCERN scores (CoMICs vs YouTube®: 2.4 vs 1.6), superior reliability (P < 0.01), and treatment quality (P < 0.01) and met JAMA criteria for authorship (100% vs 30.6%) and currency (100% vs 53.1%). For PCOS, CoMICs had higher DISCERN scores (2.9 vs 1.9), reliability (P < 0.01), and treatment quality (P < 0.01); met JAMA criteria for authorship (100% vs 34.0%) and currency (100% vs 54.0%); and had higher GQS scores (4.0 vs 3.0). In conclusion, CoMICs outperformed other similar sources on YouTube® in providing reliable evidence-based medical information which may be used for patient education.

Abstract While light can affect emotional and cognitive processes of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), no light-encoding was hitherto identified in this region. Here, extracellular recordings in awake mice revealed that over half of studied mPFC neurons showed photosensitivity, that was diminished by inhibition of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), or of the upstream thalamic perihabenular nucleus (PHb). In 15% of mPFC photosensitive neurons, firing rate changed monotonically along light-intensity steps and gradients. These light-intensity-encoding neurons comprised four types, two enhancing and two suppressing their firing rate with increased light intensity. Similar types were identified in the PHb, where they exhibited shorter latency and increased sensitivity. Light suppressed prelimbic activity but boosted infralimbic activity, mirroring the regions’ contrasting roles in fear-conditioning, drug-seeking, and anxiety. We posit that prefrontal photosensitivity represents a substrate of light-susceptible, mPFC-mediated functions, which could be ultimately studied as a therapeutical target in psychiatric and addiction disorders.

This study aimed to explore the effect of authentic and traditional assessment on students' performance in the field of health and educational sciences. Both qualitative and quantitative research designs were used in this study. Study used A questionnaire containing 20 items: 10 items represented traditional assessment and the other 10 represented authentic assessments has been used in this study. The survey sample used in this study consisted of 157 students and 52 educators. In addition, 10 educators were interviewed for the qualitative research part and 25 graduate students as an experimental sample. The main findings of this study indicated that educators preferred using both traditional testing tools and the preference towards traditional and authentic tools depended on academic qualification. This implies the importance of conducting institution in-service courses for educators, which may depend not only on the nature of the training but also on the academic qualifications of the participants. Furthermore, it is important to note that while many educators reported their preference in utilizing novel evaluation methods, a small proportion of them did not deem authentic assessment as their preferred way of assessing students' performance. This could partly be the result of adopting a traditional curriculum instead. various outcomes of this study can lead educators to design a best model of assessment using both traditional and authentic assessment types. As for students, many advantages of using authentic assessment will help them enhance their academic writing and productivity skills.

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered major players in the physics and chemistry of star‐ and planet‐forming regions. The interstellar PAH hypothesis is based on our understanding of the origin of the aromatic infrared bands (AIBs), a set of bright emission features that are now the focus of observations by the James Webb telescope. While AIB carriers are expected to be large free PAHs (50 carbon atoms or more), laboratory analysis of primitive carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) has mainly revealed relatively small PAHs, up to 24 carbon atoms. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of aromatic species in bulk samples from the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu using a surface mass spectrometry technique provided by two‐step laser desorption ionization. The resulting molecular distribution differs significantly from that obtained for a sample from the CC Orgueil, revealing aromatic species extending up to 61 carbon atoms. The species identified are composed of both peri‐condensed PAHs and non‐condensed aromatics. These results directly support the interstellar PAH hypothesis and open up new perspectives on the formation and evolution of organic matter in star‐forming regions and in the solar nebula. Key Points First direct detection of free aromatic species of large sizes with up to 61 carbon atoms in primitive extraterrestrial matter by applying a highly sensitive two‐step laser mass spectrometry analysis to grain samples from the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu (Hayabusa2 mission). First direct support for the interstellar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) hypothesis, according to which large free PAHs are responsible for the aromatic emission bands that are major infrared features currently observed by the James Webb Space Telescope. The large aromatic species detected are present in trace amounts and future research is needed to develop sensitive techniques for studying these compounds in sample return missions and meteorites.

Lung cancer remains a major global health challenge, characterized by aggressive malignancy and poor prognostic outcomes. This review article focuses on the pivotal role of claudins, a family of tight junction proteins, in the pathophysiology of lung cancer. Claudins are integral to maintaining epithelial barrier function and cellular polarity, yet they are intricately involved in the progression and metastasis of lung cancer. The aberrant expression of claudins has been observed across various histological subtypes of lung cancer, indicating their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Specifically, claudins such as claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, and -7 exhibit diverse expression patterns that correlate with tumor aggressiveness, patient survival rates, and response to therapies. Inflammation and cytokine modulation significantly influence claudin expression, affecting tumor microenvironment dynamics and cancer progression. This review also highlights the therapeutic implications of targeting claudins, particularly in cases resistant to conventional treatments. Recent advances in this area suggest that claudin-modulating agents may enhance the efficacy of existing therapies and offer new avenues for targeted interventions. By integrating the latest research, this article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of claudin’s roles in lung cancer and encourages further clinical trials to explore claudin-targeting therapies. This could pave the way for more effective management strategies, improving outcomes for lung cancer patients.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of the training program on communication for midwives of different cultural and national backgrounds on women’s satisfaction with the experience of childbirth. Method: The study involved an intervention design using the pre- and post-intervention activities. The study took place at one of the largest armed hospitals in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia in the Labour and Delivery unit The study developed through three main stages: Data were collected from a convenient sample of 25 working midwives in the unit. Additionally, 50 women were observed during childbirth (25 before and 25 after the intervention). Results: The study shows that there was a significant improvement in the midwives’ communication process with mothers after the intervention. (p

The standard of care for achalasia is laparoscopic Heller's cardiomyotomy. This procedure achieves satisfactory and long-standing results in over 85 % of patients. However, disease progression occurs in some patients leading to end-stage achalasia, occasionally requiring oesophagectomy. In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 1307 patients who underwent oesophagectomy for end-stage achalasia, the pooled prevalence of pneumonia, anastomotic leakage and mortality were 10 %, 7 % and 2 %, respectively. We present a Serra Doria procedure as an alternative ‘esophagus-preserving’ procedure in a 58-year-old female patient with end-stage achalasia. This advancement highlights the crucial role of personalized care and the ongoing research necessary to enhance outcomes for those suffering from this challenging condition.