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The Effect of Social Networks on Freshmen Students of the Education Faculty: A Comparative Study of the 2016 and 2022 Academic Year
Full text linkThe popularity of social networks has reached remarkable heights with users spending extensive time using them. Social networks have become a firm part of society especially in the lives of learners. Changes can be seen throughout the years regarding interest and usage of social networks. Accordingly, this study’s objectives concentrate on the exploration and comparison of freshmen students’ social network usage from the academic years of 2016 and 2022 in the Faculty of Education at Tishk International University. Further, the freshmen respondents were given the same quantitative questionnaire. The data disclosed the social network that was most favored, the device used to access social networks, their perception regarding the effective communicational format, its influence on grades, and difference amid learners considering a temporary social media hiatus from these academic years. Therefore, this study indicated that the freshmen contributors of the academic years of 2016 and 2022 regarded and handled social networks differently
Groundwater delineation for sustainable improvement and development aided by GIS, AHP, and MIF techniques
Full text linkExploration of groundwater is an integral part of viable resource growth for society, economy, and irrigation. However, uncontrolled utilization is mainly reported in urban and industries due to the increasing demand for water in semi-arid and arid regions of the world. In the background, groundwater demarcation for potential areas is vital in meeting necessary demand. The current study applied an integrated method comprising the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), multiple influence factors (MIF), combined with a linear regression curve and observatory well data for groundwater prospects mapping. Thematic maps such as flow direction, flow accumulation, elevation map, land use land cover, slope, soil texture, hill shade, geomorphology, normalized vegetation index, and groundwater depth map were generated utilizing remote sensing techniques. The relative weight of each parameter was estimated and then assigned to major and minor parameters. Potential zones for groundwater were classified into five classes, namely very good, good, moderate, poor, and very poor, based on AHP and MIF methods. A spatially explicit sensitivity and uncertainty analysis method to a GIS-based multi-criteria groundwater potential zone model is presented in this research. The study addressed a flaw in the way groundwater potential mapping results are typically presented in GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis studies, where discrete class outputs are used without any assessment of their certainty with respect to variations in criteria weighting, which is one of the main contributors to output uncertainty. The study region is categorized based on inferred results as very poor, poor, marginal, and very good in potential ground quality 3.04 km2 is considered extremely poor, 3.33 km2 is considered poor, 64.42 km2 is considered very good, and 85.84 km2 is considered marginal zones, which shows reliable and potential implementation. The outcomes of AHP and MIF were validated by linear regression curve and actual water table in a study area. The study results help to formulate the potential demarcation of groundwater zones for future sustainable planning and development of groundwater sources. This study may be helpful to provide a cost-effective solution to water resources crises. The current study finding may be helpful for decision-makers and administrative professionals for sustainable management of groundwater resources for present and future demands
Local Wild Food Plants and Food Products in a Multi-Cultural Region: An Exploratory Study among Diverse Ethnic Groups in Bessarabia, Southern Moldova
Full text linkA growing number of studies have acknowledged that food and ethnobotanical heritage have traditionally played a crucial role in the resilience of local communities, and their potentially crucial role in addressing future challenges posed by the turbulent changes affecting food systems worldwide. However, the issue of how and why food heritage changes across cultures within the same or similar foodscapes is still largely under-investigated. To partially contribute to this debate, we conducted exploratory fieldwork research in 15 villages in the Bessarabia region in the southern part of Moldova. We aim to record this multiethnic region’s contemporary food and ethnobotanical heritage, focusing on the culinary uses and knowledge of plants, dishes, and artisanal food products. A total of 91 persons (37 men and 54 women) belonging to some of the most representative ethnic groups of the area (i.e., Moldovans, Gagauz, Bulgarians, and Ukrainians) were involved in this study. Among these groups, we recorded 66 plant and fungal taxa, as well as 42 traditional artisanal home-produced local food products and dishes. Overall, Moldovans showed a more vigorous food and ethnobotanical diversity in terms of the mentioned items than the other groups. Based on our exploratory field study, we identified possible factors that could be investigated to better explain the less biodiverse food heritage among the other three considered groups
Study of Challenges in Retention of Academicians Specifically in Universities: Finding Does Personality Plays Role
Full text linkThe goal of this investigation was to ascertain the role that personalities play in influencing turnover intentions. In order to evaluate the primary effects of different personality traits on faculties at private universities, a non-probabilistic sampling method was utilized in the study. Both PCA and varimax rotation were used to evaluate the construct validity, while Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate the scale's internal regularity. Regression and correlation analysis was used to determine the causal connection among the factor of personality and intention to turnover. The results showed, both extraversion and agreeableness have a considerable detrimental effect on turnover intent. The study recommends that management put into place the proper human resources policies and practices that encourage positive personality qualities and, as a result, boost faculty continuity in Indian educational institutions by reducing turnover intentions. Using “Goldberg's Personality Big-Five Factors”, five personality antecedents were found (Goldberg, 1981). A 13-item measure was developed using the Turnout Intention Measure and Ten-Item Personality Inventory. An online survey was created to gather information from a sample of 1000 faculties across India out of which 352 complete responses were selected for further analysis process.According to the study management should implement right policies and procedures HR to promote positive personality traits and high retention of academician
Green Synthesis and Evaluation of ZnO NPs and study the effect of Their toxic on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Full text linkThe research interest in nanomaterials preparation from natural products as a green method and their application in various fields applications, tremendous attention has been taken to the green composition of nanoparticles. ZnO can be considered one of the most widely used metal oxides for most requirements of daily used products. In this research ZnO NPs prepared by using Petroselinum crispum (parsley) extract and to make the first study of toxicological evaluation of ZnO NPs their effect aspects on Honey bees (Apis mellifera). ZnO NPs have been charactarized by using SEM, EDX, XRD, UV-Vis and FTIR Spectroscopy. The toxicological evaluation of ZnO NPs has been applied to a honey bee. The lethal ZnO concentration was obtained, and the LC50 range calculation values were changed during 288 hours of feeding to ZnO nanoparticles at different concentrations (25, 50, 250, 500 mg per 100 ml) and the obtained LC50 values changed from 275, decreasing to 162.55 for the research range times after every 24 hours of exposure feeding calculations. In addition, for the group treated with 500 mg of ZnO per 100 ml, higher mortality was observed compared to other concentrations as it increased more than all other items indicating the above concentrations but not with the control group. The ergonomic design for creating a honey bee shelter was first introduced and no similar investigations were found in the literature
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure during pregnancy and changes in umbilical renal function
Full text linkPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants with significant adverse effects on human health, particularly concerning fetal development during pregnancy. This study investigates the relationship between maternal exposure to particulate matter-bound (PM-bound) PAHs and potential alterations in fetal renal function. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted on 450 mother-pair newborns from June 2019 to August 2021. Exposure to PM-bound PAHs was estimated at the residential address using spatiotemporal models based on data from 30 monitoring stations across the study area. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected post-delivery for biochemical analysis of renal function markers, including creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Multivariable regression models were used to assess the relationship between exposure to each PAHs compound and fetal renal function. Moreover, the mixture effects of exposure to PAHs on fetal renal function were assessed using quantile g-computation analysis. Increased concentrations of various PAH compounds at the residential address correlated with raised levels of umbilical BUN and Cr, suggesting potential renal impairment. Notably, exposure to certain PAHs compounds demonstrated statistically negative significant associations with eGFR levels. An increment of one quartile in exposure to PAHs mixture was correlated with a rise of 1.08 mg/dL (95% CI 0.04, 2.11, p = 0.04) and 0.02 mg/dL (95% CI − 0.00, 0.05, p = 0.05) increase in BUN and Cr, respectively. Moreover, a one-quartile increase in PAHs mixture exposure was associated with − 1.09 mL/min/1.73 m2 (95% CI − 2.03, − 0.14, p = 0.02) decrease in eGFR. These findings highlight the potential impact of PAH exposure on fetal renal function and underscore the importance of considering environmental exposures in assessing neonatal renal health outcomes
Retraction Note: On the nonlinear effects of energy consumption, economic growth, and tourism on carbon footprints in the USA
Full text linkThe Publisher has retracted this article in agreement with
the Editor-in-Chief. An investigation by the publisher found
a number of articles, including this one, with a number of
concerns, including but not limited to compromised peer
review process, inappropriate or irrelevant references, containing nonstandard phrases or not being in scope of the
journal. Based on the investigation’s fndings the publisher,
in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief therefore no longer
has confdence in the results and conclusions of this article
The more empowered schools, the more fruitful students
Full text linkThis study emphasizes the importance of adding life skills education to school curricula, recognizing that not all students' paths will lead to traditional employment. While not all students will become doctors, engineers, or lawyers, they will all go through a process of growth. Every individual needs key life skills necessary for resilience, adaptation, and effective management of daily life. This study aims to explore the important role of education in preparing the developing generation to live at the desired level by emphasizing the importance of empowering schools to shape a more productive future. This study utilizes the case study research approach. In this technique, researchers remain outside of the situation under investigation, focusing on the examination of many aspects and components that may interact. as a result, a holistic education, active families, and a developing curriculum with 21st-century skills enable children to overcome social barriers and prepare them for postsecondary education and the workforce. This study proposes a holistic strategy that emphasizes life skills alongside academic coursework, developing individuals who are adaptable and ready to face future challenges by revisiting the traditional educational tripod
The Role of Climate Change-oriented News in Cultivating Students’ Reading Skills and Raising Environmental Awareness
Full text linkClimate change is a term that takes precedence in the 21st century by humanity due to its negative impacts on the environment in various forms. Similarly, reading is a fundamental skill to grasp information and behave in a more civilised way. Accordingly, online news is the readily available source to be informed about the latest news. Although many studies have been conducted about climate change, reading, and news, a gap in the literature has been observed in merging them into one study with an interdisciplinary approach. To this aim, this study investigates the influence of reading climate change-oriented news on university students’ reading comprehension and raising their ecological awareness simultaneously at a private university in Erbil, Iraq, in the 2023–2024 academic year. Having chosen 34 first-year students through the stratified random sampling method in this mixed methods study, experimental group students read news from news websites, brainstormed, and took relevant exams created by Chat GPT spanning 10 weeks. On the other hand, control group students kept reading the passages in their coursebooks. The findings via reading exams, questionnaires, and interviews, unearthed that reading climate change-oriented news enhanced experimental group students’ reading performance significantly, raised their ecological awareness, and prompted them to persuade others in their community to be more proactive, thereby reversing the catastrophic effects of climate change with a feasible plan. The finding of the study may have some implications for all concerned parties to put the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals into practice at educational institutions
Fostering EFL Learners' Writing Competence through Problem-Based Learning
Full text linkProblem-based learning approach’s popularity has grown tremendously in Academic Writing courses throughout the world. The rationale for this rise is that students are driven to pinpoint problematic situations, brainstorm, and find a lasting solution collaboratively, thereby sharpening 21st-century skills, such as writing literacy, problem solving, and critical thinking. Although a growing number of studies are prevalent on this promising approach globally, a gap in the literature has been noticed about its influence on increasing university students’ writing competence in Iraq. To this aim, this mixed method research design study was conducted on 50 freshman students at a private university in the even semester of the 2023–2024 academic year via cluster sampling method spanning 12 weeks. Control group students carried out their writing education as in the curriculum; however, experimental group students’ writing lessons were enriched with the principles of problem-based learning. Having analyzed the data by SPSS 29 and MAXQDA, fetched by writing exams and surveys, findings revealed that experimental group students outperformed control group students regarding enhanced writing performance, boosted motivation, and improved critical thinking with statistically proven data by adopting the distinguishing qualities of problem-based learning at the tertiary level in Iraq context. In other words, the post-test writing exam culminated in a 0.003 statistically significant p-value based on the t-test. Complementary surveys also unearthed a positive correlation between employing problem-based writing instruction and increasing motivation as well as critical thinking skills. The findings of this study may have certain implications for stakeholders who have sought ways to integrate problem-based learning into tasks in Academic Writing courses through a well-established plan and meticulously monitored writing process on a global scale