Search

The present quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the differential effect of metacognitive strategy training and critical thinking awareness-raising on EFL learners' reading comprehension of general reading (GR), cause and effect (CE), and argumentative (ARG) texts. The study set to investigate the extent to which raising Iranian EFL learners' awareness of critical thinking skills and three sets of metacognitive reading strategies including global, problem-solving, and support may influence the three groups of participants' reading comprehension. To this end, a purposeful sample of 54 intermediate male Iranian EFL learners attending three classes was recruited from a pool of 85 English learners and was randomly assigned as two experimental groups receiving metacognitive training (MCG) and critical thinking awareness-raising (CTG) and a control group (CG). The research data were gleaned using a researcher-made piloted 54-item reading comprehension test. The results of the paired sample t-test analyses demonstrated that both MCG and CTG made significant improvements in comprehending GR and ARG texts from the pre-test to the post-test and that both outperformed the CG in comprehending GR and ARG post-tests. With regard to CE comprehension, the only significant difference was observed between the MCG and the CG. The findings offer a number of pedagogical implications.

Urban crime prevention remains a critical challenge intertwined with socioeconomic disparities. This study investigates the spatial nexus between urban deprivation and crime decline in Chicago from 2015 to 2022, addressing the question: How do changes in neighborhood deprivation relate to crime reduction patterns? Using comprehensive crime incident and census tract Area Deprivation Index (ADI) data, this study conducted exploratory spatial analysis, regression modeling, and local bivariate relationship analysis. The findings reveal persistent hotspots of concentrated deprivation on Chicago's south and west sides, alongside a general citywide crime decline. However, the current research uncovered significant spatial heterogeneity in both deprivation patterns and crime reduction, challenging the achievement of equitable public safety outcomes. Surprisingly, while crime incidents in 2015 and 2022 significantly predicted crime change, ADI scores were not statistically significant predictors in our regression model. Local bivariate analysis exposed diverse relationships between ADI changes and crime rate changes across neighborhoods, with 72.2% of census tracts showing no statistically significant relationship. This underscores the complexity of urban crime dynamics and the importance of local context in understanding these patterns. Our research contributes a nuanced understanding of the intricate relationship between urban deprivation and crime patterns, providing valuable insights for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and urban planners. These findings highlight the need for integrated, long-term strategies that address both crime prevention and socioeconomic disparities, ultimately fostering safer, more equitable urban environments and informing evidence-based interventions tailored to specific neighborhood contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, with increasing access to the internet and portable computing tools, the possibility of utilizing these tools in education has significantly expanded. Consequently, various tools have been introduced for creating and developing content and designing mobile-based educational courses. One of the essential and widely used tools for content creation and mobile-based course development is the MIT App Inventor tool, developed by a group of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It requires guidance on using this technology tool for content production in designing and implementing practical educational courses in health-related domains. This article aims to introduce the App Inventor software and its utilization in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The tool is particularly beneficial for individuals outside the tech industry who seek to incorporate educational applications into teaching and learning processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the association between the expression level of Dicer in the placenta and the early onset of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a serious condition that affects pregnant women and can be diagnosed through clinical symptoms such as high blood pressure and proteinuria. The study found that the expression level of Dicer, an enzyme involved in miRNA biogenesis, was increased in severe early-onset preeclampsia compared to healthy pregnancies. The findings suggest that Dicer may play a role in the development of preeclampsia and further research is needed to understand its implications. [Extracted from the article]

This review aimed to evaluate the contamination rate of dental unit waterlines (DUWL) with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella pneumophila in several countries in the Middle East. Literature search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to gather studies published from the beginning of 2000 to 30th April 2020. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms were; "Legionellosis"; "Legionnaire", "Legionellosis", "L. pneumophila", "dent", "dental", "dentistry", "Dental Unit Waterlines", "dental water", "DUWL", "Middle East", "P. aeruginosa", "Iran", "Turkey", "Iraq", and "Jordan". The search was independently conducted by two of the authors. Data was analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Almost all studies included in this review reported a high rate of bacterial contamination of DUWL, which exceeded the current standard bacterial contamination level of <200 (CFU) mL−1 recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). The combined prevalence of L. pneumophila from four countries (Iran, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq) was 23.5% (95% Cl: 6.5–57.7), and the combined prevalence of P. aeruginosa was reported 21.7% (95% Cl: 7.1–50.1%). This study showed a high bacterial contamination rate of DUWL with opportunistic pathogens. So, it is recommended to prevent biofilm formation in DUWL, some measures should be extended by practical approaches allowing for water quality control and improvement on-site in the dental practices such as mobile filtration units, chlorination and disinfection chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Peripheral nerve block leads to effective pain control. Peripheral nerve blocks are used both in general anaesthesia and as regional anaesthesia alone. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of the supraclavicular block with bupivacaine (0.5%) in combination with dexmedetomidine, granisetron and magnesium sulphate in upper-limb orthopaedic surgery. Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was carried out on 105 patients who were candidates for upper-limb orthopaedic surgery in Valiasr Hospital in Arak. The patients were divided into three equal groups (dexmedetomidine, granisetron and magnesium sulphate) using the block method for randomisation. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation every 5 min until the end of the surgery, onset and duration of sensory and motor block, mean opioid consumption in 24 h and post-operative pain during recovery and 2 h after surgery at 4, 8, 12 and 24 h were recorded. Data were analysed by SPSS.22 software. Results: The lowest heart rate at all times and the lowest blood pressure from 40 min to the end of surgery were observed in the dexmedetomidine group (P < 0.05). The time to the onset of sensory block and the time to the onset of motor block were shorter in the magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine groups, respectively. Moreover, the duration of the sensory and motor block was longer in the dexmedetomidine group (P = 0.0001). In addition, pain and amount of opioid consumption were lower in the dexmedetomidine group (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Magnesium sulphate caused earlier onset of sensory block, while dexmedetomidine increased the duration of sensory and motor block. In the dexmedetomidine group, haemodynamic changes were made in the form of a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, which, of course, did not require special treatment. As such, magnesium sulphate as an adjuvant is recommended to be used in cases where there is a requirement for the rapid onset of sensory block. Meanwhile, dexmedetomidine should be used as an adjuvant for the rapid onset of motor block and increase of the duration of sensory and motor block when taking into account the patients' physical conditions and the anaesthesiologist's discretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]