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The Shift to Visual News Consumption: Exploring Egyptian Users\u27 Motivations, Behaviors, and Perceptions of News Values, Credibility, and Recognition on Instagram as a news Source.
Get PDFWith the evolution of visual social media such as Instagram, news consumption and dissemination became different, focusing on Visual and Graphic content. With the current political and social-economic challenges in Egypt and the Region, such as The war in Gaza and the Egyptian economic crisis, the need for simple and immediate news updates became essential. Instagram has now satisfied that need among various users, specifically youth. This paper explores how consuming news over Instagram has influenced Egyptian users\u27 perception of News Values and their definition of what to consider news. The paper also studies how several sources on Instagram have influenced users\u27 perceptions of trust and how social cues on Instagram affect users\u27 perceptions of the content. Employing the Uses and Gratifications theory as well as the News Values theory, this study surveyed online news consumers in Egypt where ( N=225 ) respondents participated; the aim of the survey is to test the Egyptian online news consumers\u27 habits when consuming news over Instagram and to test how it affected their perception of News Values, News Recognition, and Trust
Nature-Based Education as a Learning Tool: Unleashing the Power of Nature-Based Education in Egyptian Primary Schools. The Effects of Outdoor Learning and Open-Air Classrooms on Primary School Students in Egypt.
Get PDFWhen learning modalities are tailored to each student\u27s preferences and needs, academic success follows. This effect is contingent upon both individual and surrounding factors. Many schools in Egypt and the Middle East do not concentrate on how exposure to nature and nature-based learning can affect how the learner perceives his or her learning area. Most schools in Egypt have no exposure to nature to allow students to explore the world in their way; there is no room for diverse students to excel. Therefore, this exploratory research aims to reestablish a connection between private primary school students and the natural world by applying learning theories and nature-based learning approaches. It also seeks to ascertain the impact of nature-based learning on Egyptian students within the national system and to assist school designers in creating a toolkit that enables them to make suitable learning environments for their students, taking into account their preferences. Using Modern Vision Language School in Cairo, Egypt, as a case study, this research explores the exposure of primary school students to both indoor settings such as “classrooms,” open-air settings such as “open-air classrooms,” and outdoor settings such as nature and its various components to determine which learning environment is better for students. Methodologically, students are invited to participate in open-air and outdoor classes, particularly for science and social studies, in a specially designed outdoor classroom tailored to accommodate the needs of 50 fourth-grade students. Following these sessions, a focus group is conducted to gather feedback on their experiences and to discuss potential changes for future sessions. Additionally, a control group of 50 other fourth-grade students receives the same lessons in an indoor setting. This comparison aims to assess how different physical environments impact students academically, emotionally, and psychologically. To gather comprehensive data,a range of qualitative methods is employed, including Multiple Intelligence Scales (MIS), observations, focus groups, and surveys aimed at both teachers and students. Additionally, event sampling and time sampling are utilized to capture specific instances of behavior and engagement during indoor, outdoor, and open-air lessons. The findings highlight both architectural and psychological insights. Architecturally, the research provides a toolkit for school designers, emphasizing essential elements such as open-air classroom boundaries, color schemes, wall materials, sun direction, and sound isolation. Psychologically, the open-air and outdoor classrooms show significant positive effects on student behavior and academic performance. The findings enhance pedagogical practices and improve learning experiences in educational settings
The Less I Know the Better: Trends in News Avoidance in Egypt – An Exploratory Analysis
No full textAs the world moves towards a digitalized era, it has become much easier for individuals to stay informed about the latest events by consuming news from anywhere and anytime. News plays a crucial role in providing people with updated information about diverse local and international events. Yet, despite its broad accessibility, recent global research has found that a significant percentage of people choose to avoid consuming news worldwide, posing a serious challenge for news outlets to retain audiences (Newman et al., 2024).
This exploratory study offers a new perspective on investigating a timely issue by examining the factors related to news avoidance behaviors in Egypt and providing valuable insights to support overcoming current obstacles. The effective methodology of the study involves conducting focus groups, surveys with more than 500 respondents (n=512), and in-depth interviews with media professionals and academics to offer innovative recommendations for news outlets to benefit from and shape developed strategies based on academic guidelines. This research develops an innovative conceptual model to answer questions about enhancing the news content and filling the research gaps in the news consumption field.
This exploratory research discovers the news avoidance behaviors in the Egyptian society. It offers a deeper understanding of the news consumption patterns within the digitalized media landscape in Egypt. This work aims to highlight the different factors related to turning away from consuming news produced by different media sources and platforms. The current study seeks exploring news avoidance actions in the Egyptian public sphere among a broad range of news sources, whether they are Egyptian or foreign, state-owned or private, traditional or digital, operate within structured media organizations or citizen journalism. Moreover, the current work collected data from diverse samples in order to gain profound knowledge that leads to the understanding of factors connected to disengagement with news content in the Egyptian context.
Findings of the current study provide valuable insights into different directions for avoiding the news in the Egyptian society by identifying clear themes that underline elements connected to declined news consumption rates. This research also provides actionable recommendations and suggestions, which are based on academic and professional insights, for media organizations to shape and develop the content creation strategies in the news media industry. Unlike prior Western-based study, the current work fills research gaps in the literature by focusing on Egypt’s unique news consumption patterns
The role of Pharmacogenomics in the Personalization of Parkinson’s Disease Treatment in Egyptian Regions
No full textIntroduction: Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by both motor and non-motor manifestations. Its etiology remains elusive, and current treatments are only symptomatic. Genetic predispositions to Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) vary significantly across populations. PD has not been extensively studied genetically in Egypt, revealing a gap in understanding the genetic underpinnings of the disease in this region. Objective: Our objective is to conduct the largest genetic study of Parkinson\u27s Disease (PD) in Egypt. This study will also be the first to include pharmacogenomic screening of FDA-approved drugs and natural products to identify potential therapeutic targets, focusing on Egyptian-specific mutated variants. This approach is extremely important for countries with limited resources, as it is more advantageous in terms of cost and time-saving compared to identifying novel targets. Methods: We examined 1,210 Egyptians (611 PD patients and 599 controls) from 16 governorates for 12 LRRK2 pathogenic variants, and 479 PD patients and 481 controls for two APOE and one MAPT pathogenic variant, along with other rare variants. Additionally, we conducted structure-based virtual screening of DrugBank, NANPDB, and EANPDB databases based on the discovery of the G2019S
mutation in the Egyptian population using the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the C- terminal domain of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) with the G2019S mutation.
Results: The p.Gly2019Ser variant was the only detected variant, with a prevalence of 4.1% in sporadic cases, 6.5% in familial cases, and 0.68% in controls. All p.Gly2019Ser carriers, except one homozygous patient, were heterozygous, sharing the common haplotype 1. Demographics and UPDRS scores did not differ between carriers and non-carriers, with most patients being males who developed PD in their fifties. Young and Early-onset PD prevalence was 37.5% in carriers and 33% in non-carriers. While there was no association between APOE and PD risk, there was a notable correlation with age of onset, particularly in males. MAPT showed no significant link to disease presence or age at onset. No meaningful associations were detected between PD and the BCHE and KANSL1 genes. Our in-silico virtual screening identified top candidates: Estrone, Fluoroestradiol F-18, and Adapalene from DrugBank; Lettowianthine and other compounds from EANPDB; and Dehydrobenzophenanthridine and others from NANPDB. Conclusion: This study confirms that Egyptians with PD have a higher prevalence of the p.Gly2019Ser variant, similar to other Mediterranean populations. LRRK2 inhibitors could be promising therapeutic options for this population. Our virtual screening findings highlight the potential for repurposing existing compounds and suggest new therapeutic development avenues targeting the G2019S mutation in LRRK2 in Egypt.
Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease, LRRK2, APOE, MAPT, Structure-based virtual screening, G201
The Effects of the Devaluation of the Egyptian Pound on AUC Student Happiness
Get PDFThe aim of this research is to investigate the difference in measured happiness between students who pay the full tuition cost at the American University in Cairo (AUC) versus students who are on financial aid/scholarship in light of the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound. The literature review found that there are five key determinants for the happiness of university students: financial satisfaction, academic performance, leisure time, social support, and high levels of self-confidence and esteem. These five factors were used in the conceptual framework along with the utility theory. This study was executed through an online Google Forms survey that was sent out to AUC students on WhatsApp and Facebook groups, and by going around campus with a QR code of the survey for students to scan. The survey consisted of questions from the PERMA Survey, the Student Life Satisfaction Scale, the Student Academic Scale, and the Financial Satisfaction Scale. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze whether there is a significant relationship within the data, and to identify which category of students, those paying full tuition or those on financial aid/scholarship, are less affected by the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound. The results of the SPSS analysis exhibited no significant relationship between either category of students and level of happiness
Identification of Novel Genetic Biomarkers Linked to the Prodromal Stage of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Patients
Get PDFBackground and Objective: The early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson\u27s disease (PD), is particularly challenging because symptoms appear only after significant neuronal damage has already occurred. This study is utilizing variant call format (VCF) analysis to identify genetic variants and novel genes that could serve as early prognostic markers for prodromal PD. Materials and Methods: Data were sourced from the Parkinson\u27s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), focusing on prodromal patients with gVCF data from the 2021 cohort. The study included 304 participants, comprising 100 healthy controls, 146 individuals with prodromal genetic indicators, 21 individuals with prodromal hyposmia, and 37 individuals with prodromal REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). A specialized pipeline was developed to process the gVCF samples for variant annotation, as well as pathway and disease association analysis. Results: The analysis of prodromal subgroups revealed novel variant percentages: 1.0% in genetic males, 1.2% in genetic females, 0.6% in hyposmia males, 0.3% in hyposmia females, 0.5% in RBD males, and 0.4% in RBD females. Notably, 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300, and PPP6R2) previously identified in PD patients were also detected in the prodromal stage. Conclusion: Genetic biomarkers are playing a vital role in the early detection of Parkinson\u27s disease and its prodromal phase. The identification of these novel PD genes in prodromal patients highlights the potential for gene biomarkers to enable early diagnosis, beyond relying only on phenotypic traits
Integration of Plastic Bottles with Earth Materials for Insite Construction Modules
No full textDue to the world’s current environmental predicament, industrial assessments are becoming more aggressive day by day towards the construction and plastic industries for their heavy contribution to the global struggle. Up until this day, the construction industry is still heavily reliant on cement-based concrete, which has proven to be one of the main carbon dioxide emitters in the construction sector over the past decade. Additionally, it has become quite factual that plastic bottles are forming a daily regenerated threat to the solid waste crisis that is rapidly growing. Since greenhouse gases affect the energy balance and generate the greenhouse effect, it becomes critical to identify solutions and alternatives that reduce the impact across all sectors. This research aims to explore a potential solution for two major environmental crises: cement-based construction methods and plastic bottle waste. This research proposes the integration of waste plastic bottles into construction elements that are constructed with Earth materials. The tentative new construction material is primarily based on a cob-earth mix that surround reused plastic bottles, which are filled with sand for strength and shape. The testing and assessment of the technique include both structural and environmental dimensions. The functionality of the material is demonstrated through the compressive strength tests
Antidiabetic properties of Prickly Pear (Opuntia Ficus-Indica) fruit extract
Get PDFDiabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that claims 1.5 million lives annually. Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly known as the prickly pear, has been commonly used in traditional folk medicine for its hypoglycemic properties. It has been claimed that it has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well. The plant is native to Mexico and is commonly found in the middle east and India and folk medicine from all of these areas have been using prickly pear medicinally for years. To test these claims an extract of locally sourced Opuntia ficus-indica was prepared using the flesh and seeds of the fruit. The extract was analyzed via GC-MS to identify its bioactive compounds. The extract was tested in vitro using the L929 fibroblast cell line for cytotoxicity and oxidative stress effects including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The antidiabetic effects were tested on STZ induced rats in comparison to current commercial treatment, Metformin. The results show anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in Opuntia Ficus-indica as well as potential hepatoprotective properties. It also performed better than metformin in lowering blood sugar and protecting against heart disease and other diabetic comorbidities. Overall it shows good potential for use in treatment of Diabetes mellitus and its comorbidities either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with current treatments
The Different Roles of Women in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria: An Explanation.
Get PDFWhy do women not run away from a violent anti-feminist group like ISIS even though gender norms dictate that women shall be peaceful, stereotypes highlight that they are peace-loving, and rationality directs that they should not leave their patriarchal societies only to join another mini patriarchal one? This thesis aimed to answer this question and focused on non-Western ISIS female members. Notably, this study was merely interested in a gender-based explanation in the sense that it wanted to see how gender dynamics, norms and gender-related grievances push Daesh women into the group’s ranks. This study hypothesized that women join ISIS because empowerment prospects are clear through the real-life experiences of ISIS women, not through the organization’s official discourse. After doing a literature review on women in rebel groups and terrorist women, the thesis realized women in violent and non-violent roles might have different motives. So, it hypothesized that Al-Khansaa Brigade members would demonstrate a drive for empowerment, but ISIS mothers/wives would not. Rather, they would highlight the importance of gender norms and roles (as women in anti-feminist movements do). The methodology of this thesis was a discourse analysis of ISIS women’s interviews and social media posts. It entailed searching for indicators of empowerment in their rhetoric. Testimonies of Iraqi and Syrian women who witnessed ISIS rule were also examined. The study concluded the gap between Daesh’s discourse, female members’ actions and their feelings of empowerment. It was also found that not all women in non-violent positions were impacted by an internalization of sexist ideas. Other factors not related to their gender identity pulled them to the group. Lastly, the thesis’s hypothesis that women in violent roles had endeavors for empowerment was confirmed (with some exclusions)
ESG Significance in Relation to Corporate Bankruptcy Prediction
Get PDFThis thesis aims to enhance corporate risk assessment through studying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) significance in modeling bankruptcy. Through using artificial intelligence’ natural language processing (NLP), we develop a proxy for ESG scoring based on companies annual reporting retrieved through EDGAR. We integrate the derived ESG score with traditional financial ratios used to calculate Altman’s Z-score (1968) in predicting bankruptcy. Through S&P’s Compustat, we obtain a sample of 108 healthy & bankrupt firms -spanning 14 years of fiscal observations- and match them through time and industry. We use stepwise GLM regression to estimate bankruptcy probability observing that ESG and its interaction terms proved significant in bankruptcy prediction, and that the average marginal effect of ESG is negatively correlated with bankruptcy indicating ESG’s positive impact on firm performance. Our research observes ESG metrics for a balanced sample of healthy and bankrupt firms, which despite restricting sample size protects our study against survivorship bias unlike current literature that considers large datasets without factoring ESG for failed firms. We recommend future research to increase bankrupt firms\u27 data points, consider their ESG metrics, and account for the impact of economic downturns to further understand ESG’s trajectory on firm performance