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This study examines the relationship between critical thinking and grades at the tertiary level, focusing on their social, political, and ethical implications. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study combines survey data collection with in-depth interviews to generate comprehensive insights into the complex relationship between critical thinking and grades. The survey targets 173 faculty members, while the interviews focus on seven selected academic staff members from Palestinian universities, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the research objectives. Results showed that grades often hinder critical thinking skills and creativity, leading to rote memorization and limited creativity. The study also highlights the political implications of grades, as standardized testing influences education policies and curriculum decisions. Faculty members expressed criticism of the prioritization of grades, citing conventional evaluation methods, temporal limitations, and resource constraints. As critical thinking is crucial for comprehensive student development, contributing to problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, innovation, effective communication, and active citizenship, the study proposes diverse approaches to strike a balance between valuing grades and nurturing critical thinking abilities. By fostering critical thinking abilities, Palestinian students can enhance their preparedness for academic pursuits, personal growth, and societal contributions.

Abstract This study delved into the dynamics of perceived challenges, adoption, and assessment of Western values of democracy and human rights among university students in Palestine, particularly in the aftermath of the 2023 War on Gaza. A mixed-methods strategy was used in the research, with a participant pool of 384 students representing a range of demographics. By exploring the impact of geopolitical events, the results revealed a positive link between perceived challenges and the assessment of Western values. Although there is a notable gender and geographic difference in the assessment and adoption of Western values, females and those living in cities and villages are shown to have greater perceived challenges with these values. The qualitative component, including interviews with 12 students, provided valuable insights into the postwar evolution of Palestinian perspectives, highlighting a notable shift in attitudes, initially characterized by belief in the superiority of Western values, followed by a decline in faith during the war. This decline is attributed to traumatic events, biased media narratives, and the contradiction between idealized standards and harsh realities. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted influences on Palestinian perceptions of Western values.

Abstract Background Transportation plays a significant role in health, community resilience, and access to basic needs such as healthcare, social services, education, and job opportunities. Health and community resilience are, however, impacted by a multitude of complex and unequal factors, such as transportation restrictions exacerbated by the Israeli occupation. The goal of the research was to examine the intricate relationships that exist in Palestine between movement restrictions imposed by occupation, health outcomes, and community resilience. Method A self-structured questionnaire, devised based on expert conversations and previous literature, was used in this descriptive, quantitative study to explore health and resilience outcomes. Age, gender, marital status, place of residence, and means of transportation were among the various factors that were utilized to describe the socio-demographics of the study sample (n = 202). The researchers employed stepwise multiple regression and descriptive statistics for the data analysis. Results Study findings indicated that transportation restrictions have significant direct and indirect health consequences. A significant direct effect is observed, signifying a negative correlation between restrictions and health; increased transportation restrictions are consistently correlated with a decline in health. The study emphasized how place of residence affects health outcomes, with higher scores for campers and people living in green line areas. It also underscores that public means of transportation are found to be better for health outcomes than private cars. Conclusion This study emphasized that roadblocks, checkpoints, and military incursions make it difficult for Palestinians to receive medical care, which has a detrimental impact on their health and well-being. It also underscores the need for significant reforms in Palestinian health and transportation systems to enhance infrastructure and healthcare access. The Palestinian Authority should invest in public transportation and community resilience programs to address transportation-related health issues, especially in villages, due to frequent settler attacks.

This study aimed to identify the degree of contribution of mothers' treatment patterns to the emotional balance of kindergarten children and to achieve the objectives of the study; two scales were built: a questionnaire to measure mothers' treatment patterns and a questionnaire to measure the emotional balance of kindergarten children after ensuring their validity and reliability. The study sample consisted of 195 children aged 5-6 who were selected from the private kindergartens of the Naour Brigade in Amman Governorate in Jordan. After using arithmetic means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis, the results of the study reached the following: (1) The most common treatment pattern for mothers was the democratic one; (2) The level of emotional balance among kindergarten children was average; (3) The results showed a positive, statistically significant correlation at the significance level ([alpha] = 0.05) between the total score of the emotional balance scale for kindergarten children and the democratic treatment pattern of mothers; (4) The results revealed a statistically significant negative correlation at the significance level ([alpha] = 0.05) between the total score of the emotional balance scale for kindergarten children and the two types of mothers' authoritarian and abusive treatment; (5) The regression analysis results revealed that the patterns of mothers' treatment contribute to the emotional balance of kindergarten children by 34.2%; and (6) The patterns of mothers' treatment contributed in varying proportions to the emotional balance of kindergarten children, the highest of which was the authoritarian pattern, then the neglectful pattern, and finally the democratic pattern.

The current study is motivated by Tory Higgins's self-discrepancy theory and the objectification theory. It aimed to investigate university staff members' perspectives towards zoom dysmorphia while involved in e-teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic in terms of its popularity, causes, and instructors' experiences with the healing or eliminating mechanisms. Put simply, the researchers meant to identify the impact of the pandemic on body image and the long-term repercussions of e-teaching on instructors' quality. A descriptive online questionnaire was compiled to explore the way (630) university staff members having academic and academic/administrative positions evaluate, perceive, and handle zoom dysmorphia while teaching online. The study results showed several associations between the variables studied. Gender was significant because females proved to have more features of dysmorphia; faculty members who serve in scientific faculties also proved to expect more features of dysmorphia as they tended not to turn on their cameras. The study results also showed that sufferers of zoom dysmorphia warranted that their appearances occasionally made them feel insecure and occupationally unstable. Therefore, they tried different healing mechanisms to eliminate or, at least, reduce its traits. The study concluded that the prevalence of zoom dysmorphia may result in shifting the value from good, effective attributes (e.g., professionalism, adaptability, collaboration, empathy, and patience) of instructors to merely outside physical appearances. The researchers recommend that educators should elicit the presence of zoom dysmorphia at an early stage. They should prepare courses to improve instructors' self-confidence, and provide them with proper technical experience.

Background: Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) can be described as an accelerated increase in the growth rate of tumors combined with rapid clinical deterioration observed in a subset of cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy, specifically with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The reported incidence of HPD ranges from 5.9% to 43.1% in patients receiving ICIs. In this context, identifying reliable predictive risk factors for HPD is crucial as it may allow for earlier intervention and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

The study aimed to identify the impact of the Corona pandemic on the psychological and social resilience of kindergarten children from the point of view of parents, and the study was based on the descriptive method, and the sample of the study consisted of (200) parents of kindergarten children in the city of Amman, and to achieve the objectives of the study was prepared a measure of flexibility in both fields: psychological flexibility and social flexibility after ascertaining the sincerity and stability. The results of the study indicated the following: The impact of the Corona pandemic on the psychological and social resilience of kindergarten children came from the point of view of the parents to a medium degree, the existence of statistically significant differences in the overall degree and social flexibility in light of the impact of the Corona pandemic in the view of kindergarten children from the point of view of parents attributable to the sex variable.

Educational institutions strive to achieve their purposes mainly assessing students' performance and abilities; they might use traditional types of assessment or they may be forced to apply electronic assessment in certain situations such as those dictated by the current spread of COVID-19 Pandemic. The current study aims at providing insights into the ways and levels of university students' evaluation of the electronic assessment during the global health crisis whether this evaluation is affected by certain demographic variables or not. A 29-item online questionnaire was developed and conducted by the researchers to survey a large sample of university population. A large number of the students (n=582) responded to the survey. The study results show that the level of students' evaluation of e-assessment is moderate. The researchers also find that an interaction between gender and faculty may influence students' evaluation positively and negatively. The implications of the study suggest that educational institutions should consider all types of assessment mainly e-assessment to keep pace with all advancements and evade unexpected circumstances like pandemics.

The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of an educational program based on images and graphics in developing some spatial and temporal concepts among kindergarten children. The researchers used the semi-experimental approach, and the sample of the study, chosen randomly, consisted of (50) children and distributed among the two study groups (25) groups. Experimental and (25) control groups. The researchers prepared the study tools represented by the educational program and a test that measures temporal and spatial concepts after confirming their validity and stability. The results of the study showed statistically significant differences between the members of the two groups in favor of the experimental group, and the study recommended including this program in kindergarten curricula.

The study was carried out to investigate the impact of a digital review tool had on students' grades, learning motivation, and engagement. An exploratory cross-sectional study was accomplished with two groups of students. The Experimental Group was taught using the digital tool FlipQuiz while the Control Group was taught with the conventional method. Pretests, posttests, and surveys on the students' learning motivation and engagement toward gamification in language learning were the instruments used in this study. The data of Posttests of both groups were analyzed using Paired Sample t test. The results revealed no statistically significant differences with regard to FlipQuiz on English vocabulary exam scores. The data of two surveys were analyzed using descriptive analysis, parametric data analysis, and nonparametric data analysis. Findings indicated that there was a strong relationship among students in both groups regarding the importance of including technology in the classroom as well as the overall experience of utilizing FlipQuiz in learning English vocabulary.

Abstract Tumor microtubes (TMs) connect glioma cells to a network with considerable relevance for tumor progression and therapy resistance. However, the determination of TM-interconnectivity in individual tumors is challenging and the impact on patient survival unresolved. Here, we establish a connectivity signature from single-cell RNA-sequenced (scRNA-Seq) xenografted primary glioblastoma (GB) cells using a dye uptake methodology, and validate it with recording of cellular calcium epochs and clinical correlations. Astrocyte-like and mesenchymal-like GB cells have the highest connectivity signature scores in scRNA-sequenced patient-derived xenografts and patient samples. In large GB cohorts, TM-network connectivity correlates with the mesenchymal subtype and dismal patient survival. CHI3L1 gene expression serves as a robust molecular marker of connectivity and functionally influences TM networks. The connectivity signature allows insights into brain tumor biology, provides a proof-of-principle that tumor cell TM-connectivity is relevant for patients’ prognosis, and serves as a robust prognostic biomarker.

Background and purpose: Iran is ranked among the top ten nations in the world for hosting a large number of migrants and refugees. During the COVID-19 outbreak, refugees and migrants were among the most vulnerable groups. This study aimed to investigate the extent of healthcare service utilization by refugees and migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare centers affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2021 in Tehran. The research environment included all healthcare networks and general and specialized hospitals. Data were collected through document review and registered information in the Sina system. All provided services were categorized into four groups: primary care, outpatient, emergency, and inpatient services. Data analysis was performed using the Chow test and Interrupted Time Series model with the Wats and Sctest software packages in R version 4.3.0. Results: The decrease in utilization of outpatient, emergency, and inpatient services by refugees and migrants was significant (P-value < 0.001), whereas the decrease in primary care services was not significant. Additionally, after the onset of COVID-19, only the utilization of inpatient services showed a significant increasing trend (P-value < 0.013). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization of all healthcare services by refugees and migrants, including primary, outpatient, emergency, and inpatient care, decreased. It is recommended to provide complete insurance coverage for refugees, offer free treatment for impoverished refugees, increase awareness among refugees to encourage greater use of health services, reduce existing social and economic barriers, and facilitate interaction between healthcare providers and refugees.

Sixty-four phenols grouped as nitrated, bromo, amino, methyl, chloro-phenols, and cresols, and thirty-eight organic acids grouped as mono-carboxylic and dicarboxylic are analyzed in forty-two fog samples collected in the Alsace region between 2015 and 2021 to check their atmospheric behavior. Fogwater samples are collected using the Caltech Active Strand Cloudwater Collector (CASCC2), extracted using liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) on a solid cartridge (XTR Chromabond), and then analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results show the high capability of phenols and acids to be scavenged by fogwater due to their high solubility. Nitro-phenols and mono-carboxylic acids have the highest contributions to the total phenolic and acidic concentrations, respectively. 2,5-dinitrophenol, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, and 3,4-dinitrophenol have the highest concentration, originating mainly from vehicular emissions and some photochemical reactions. The top three mono-carboxylic acids are hexadecenoic acid (C16), eicosanoic acid (C18), and dodecanoic acid (C12), whereas succinic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid, and oxalic acid are the most concentrated dicarboxylic acids, originated either from atmospheric oxidation (mainly secondary organic aerosols (SOAs)) or vehicular transport. Pearson’s correlations show positive correlations between organic acids and previously analyzed metals (p < 0.05), between mono- and dicarboxylic acids (p < 0.001), and between the analyzed acidic compounds (p < 0.001), whereas no correlations are observed with previously analyzed inorganic ions. Total phenolic and acidic fractions are found to be much higher than those observed for pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) measured at the same region due to their higher scavenging by fogwater.

A versatile building material, foamed concrete is made of cement, fine aggregate, and foam combined with coarse aggregate. This study provides a description of how constant coarse aggregate replacement (50%) of LECA and foamed concrete, which are lightweight concrete types, by zeolite as a filler and PEG-400 as a plasticizer, water retention agent, and strength enhancer affect the mechanical properties of the cement. A study that examined the characteristics of cellular lightweight concrete in both its fresh and hardened forms was carried out for both foamed concrete and LECA concrete. In order to do this, a composite of zeolite and polyethylene glycol 400 was made using the direct absorption method, and no leakage was seen. Zeolite was loaded to a level of 10% and 20% of the total weight in cement, while 400 g/mol PEG was used at levels of 1%, 1.5%, and 2% of the cement’s weight. Various mixtures having a dry density of 1250 kg/m3 were produced. Properties like dry density, splitting tensile strength, and compressive strength were measured. An increase in the amount of PEG400–zeolite was seen to lower the workability, or slump, of both foamed and LECA concrete, while the replacement of aggregate by zeolite resulted in an exponential drop in both compressive and flexural strengths.

Public Food Procurement (PFP) can be used as an important social intervention tool to promote food security for specific groups, foster rural development, and drive local and regional food economies towards more sustainable paths. The Food Acquisition Program (PAA) is a Brazilian government program created to encourage family farming and combat food insecurity and nutritional risks among socially vulnerable people. This study aimed to estimate the impact on gross agricultural income and production diversity for family farmers who delivered products for the main modality of this program: Simultaneous Purchase and Donation (CDS). We utilized an empirical difference-in-differences strategy, using microdata from government administrative records that cover all PAA-CDS purchase amounts in the country, as well as information on about two million family farming production units for the period between 2009 and 2017. Our findings indicate that PAA-CDS contributed to an average increase of 24.2% in farmers' gross income from production. The poorest benefited the most, with an increase of 45.9% for farmers in the 10th percentile of gross income. Regarding the diversity of production, we estimated a significant positive impact of the program on the diversity index and the number of products, as well as a reduction in the specialization of gross income. These results suggest that the program's design can be effective for its primary purposes.

BackgroundThe use of research evidence in policy making is a complex and challenging process that has a long history in various fields, especially in healthcare. Different terms and concepts have been used to describe the relationship between research and policy, but they often lack clarity and consensus. To address this gap, several strategies and models have been proposed to facilitate evidence informed policy making and to identify the key factors and mechanisms involved. This study aims to critically review the existing models of evidence informed policy making (EIPM) in healthcare and to assess their strengths and limitations.MethodA systematic search and review conducted to identify and critically assess EIPM models in healthcare. We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases as major electronic databases and applied predefined inclusion criteria to select the models. We also checked the citations of the included models to find other scholars’ perspectives. Each model was described and critiqued each model in detail and discussed their features and limitations.ResultNine models of EIPM in healthcare were identified. While models had some strengths in comprehension, flexibility and theoretical foundations, analysis also identified limitations including: presupposing rational policymaking; lacking alternatives for time-sensitive situations; not capturing policy complexity; neglecting unintended effects; limited context considerations; inadequate complexity concepts; limited collaboration guidance; and unspecified evidence adaptations.ConclusionThe reviewed models provide useful frameworks for EIPM but need further improvement to address their limitations. Concepts from sociology of knowledge, change theory and complexity science can enrich the models. Future EIPM models should better account for the complexity of research-policy relationships and provide tailored strategies based on the policy context.