bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Reliability of Students' Scores in University Courses on Tests during the Semester and the Extent of Influence of these Scores Based on Determining their Relative Weights
Authors: Audeh Ahmad , Al Joudeh Majed 
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to estimate the reliability coefficients of the tests prepared by faculty members in the preparatory year courses for both males and females at the University of Tabuk, using the Raju formula based on the predetermined fixed weights in the university regulations, regardless of their differentiating capability or the students' actual differences. Reliability coefficients were estimated again using the standard deviations of scores on these tests that were compared with the coefficients estimated by the Feldt-Gilmer formula that uses the variance covariance matrix of these tests. To address the questions of the study, the scores for all the students in 663 sections and 15 courses were analyzed, and the reliability coefficients were estimated. In light of the study’s hypothesis, another sample of 30 sections was selected randomly from the original sample to estimate reliability coefficients through the Feldt-Gilmer formula. The results indicated that the estimated mean of coefficients 0.68 in the average were lower than expected. Based on the university strategy which focuses on quality and excellence, higher reliability is required; mediocrity in this situation is not accepted. This means that 0.68 was compared to 0.67 and 0.69 estimated by the adjusted Raju formula using standard deviations as weights, and by the Feldt Gilmer respectively. The correlation between the reliability estimations using the last two formulas was very high (r = 0.98). The results revealed enough evidence statistically and practically for recommending the use of the modified Raju formula in practical situations to estimate the tests' reliability.
Degree of Applying Quality Standards in Post Basic-Education Schools from the Point of View of Supervisors and Senior Teachers in Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Issan Salha A. , AlShidi Faiza A. 
Published: July 2018

The study aimed at exploring the degree of the application of quality standards in post basic-education schools from the perceptive of supervisors and senior teachers in the Sultanate of Oman. The study sample consisted of 129 supervisors and 137 senior teachers selected from six educational governorates: Muscat, Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah North, Sharqiyah North, Al Buraimi, and Dhofar during academic year 2015/2016. The data was collected by a questionnaire consisting of 53 statements, categorized in seven areas of quality standards: planning; school curriculum; teaching and learning; learners affairs; human and financial resources; and community. The results showed that quality standards were applied to a large extent in the areas of human resources, learner's affairs and planning, and to a medium degree in the other remaining areas. Findings also revealed statistically significant differences in applying the standards due to gender in favor of females in all areas. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences in the degree of applying quality standards in schools in favor of senior teachers in all areas except curriculum. Based on the results, a number of recommendations were provided.
The Areas of Teacher Research in the Sultanate of Oman and the Reality of Benefiting from Them
Authors: Al-Husseini Suleiman S. , Al-Ghattami Sulaiman S. , Al-Hajri Rashid M. 
Published: July 2018

The present study aims at understanding the reality of teacher research in the Sultanate of Oman, how to benefit from such research in the improvement of teacher development and the teaching-learning process, who should do that, as well as informing current literature with updates on teacher research, a topic that is not yet given adequate attention in Oman. The study implemented a qualitative approach for data collection and analysis of 50 researches done by school-teachers and 22 interviews with research teachers, school head-teachers and educational specialists. The study revealed that teachers are interested in doing research. Teachers, school administration and supervisors benefit from teacher research. Teachers use their own ways to take advantage from their own research and to share it with other teachers and help them value its results and recommendations. The study recommends that a culture of teacher research should be founded in schools, teachers should be supported to do research and more research should be done to explore the extent to which teacher research meets the criteria of educational research so that it can be trustworthy and useable for schooling improvement.
The perceptions of Male and Female Secondary Teachers toward the Criteria for Designing and Evaluating e-Learning & Educational Software in the Independent Secondary Schools in the State of Qatar
Authors: Almannai Abdullah S. 
Published: July 2018

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of secondary school teachers in the State of Qatar toward the criteria for designing and evaluating e-learning and educational software in education in the independent secondary schools. A questionnaire was designed and validated, and was administered to a sample of 400 male and female secondary independent school teachers. The results revealed the following: High agreement among most of the teachers about the importance of the instructional design criteria for e-learning and educational software. A significant difference was found between male and female teachers in favor of male teachers; and a significant difference was found between those who attended computer workshops only and those who attended computer workshops plus ICDL, in favor of the latter group. No significant interactions were found for: gender by years of experience; gender by computer workshops; gender by major; years of experience by major; years of experience by computer workshops; and computer workshops by major. The results were interpreted and some recommendations and future studies were suggested
Religious Orientation and its Relationship to Meaning of Life and Irrational Thinking among a Sample of University Student in Jeddah
Authors: Arfashah Nouf G. 
Published: July 2018

The study aimed at exploring the relationship between religious orientation and the meaning of life on one hand, and religious orientations and irrational thinking on the other hand. It also aimed at exploring the relationship between the meaning of life and irrational thinking. The basic sample comprised 585 participants from university students in Jeddah, who were randomly selected from various humanities, religion and science majors. Research instruments included a religious orientation scale, meaning of life scale, and thoughts and beliefs scale. The study found: (1) a positive correlation between meaning of life and each of the intellectual cognitive religiousness, emotional enthusiastic religiousness and original true religiousness; (2) a negative correlation between meaning of life and ritual opportunist religiousness; (3) a positive correlation between irrational thinking and and each of the intellectual cognitive religiousness, ritual opportunist religiousness and emotional enthusiastic religiousness; and (4) a negative correlation between the meaning of life and the inflexibility of thinking which is one aspect of irrational thinking.
Validation of a human angiopoietin-2 ELISA for measurement of angiopoietin-2 concentrations in canine plasma samples and supernatant of primary canine aortic endothelial cell cultures
Authors: König Maya L. , Lettry Sophie C. , Marti Eliane , Mirkovitch Jelena , Wyder Marianne , Giger Urs , Schuller Simone 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess 2 human ELISA kits for measurement of angiopoietin-1 and -2 concentrations in canine plasma samples, determine whether plasma angiopoeitin-2 concentration differed between septic and healthy dogs, and determine the effect of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulation on angiopoeitin-2 release from primary canine aortic endothelial cells (pCAECs) in vitro.
ANIMALS 10 healthy dogs and 10 septic dogs.
PROCEDURES Human angiopoietin-1 and -2 ELISAs were used to detect recombinant canine angiopoietins-1 and -2 in canine plasma samples. The angiopoietin-2 ELISA was further validated by use of plasma samples from healthy and septic dogs and supernatants of pCAEC cultures. Associations between plasma angiopoeitin-2 and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were examined.
RESULTS Angiopoeitin-2 but not angiopoeitin-1 was detected in canine plasma samples by the respective ELISAs. The angiopoeitin-2 ELISA had excellent dilutional linearity, parallelism, accuracy, precision, and reproducibility for measurements in canine plasma samples and pCAEC supernatants. Plasma angiopoeitin-2 concentration was significantly higher in septic dogs (median, 25.5 ng/mL) than in healthy dogs (median, 6.7 ng/mL) and was positively correlated with plasma CRP concentration (R2 = 0.60). Stimulation of pCAECs with TNF-α resulted in a significant increase in supernatant angiopoietin-2 concentration.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The tested human angiopoietin-2 ELISA kit was useful for measuring angiopoietin-2 concentrations in canine plasma samples and pCAEC supernatants. Sepsis appeared to increase angiopoietin-2 concentration in dogs in vivo, whereas TNF-α stimulation caused release of angiopoietin-2 from pCAECs in vitro. These findings support the use of angiopoietin-2 as a marker of endothelial cell activation and inflammation in dogs.
Characterization of the fecal microbiota of healthy horses
Authors: Stewart Holly L. , Pitta Dipti , Indugu Nagaraju , Vecchiarelli Bonnie , Engiles Julie B. , Southwood Louise L. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the fecal microbiota of horses and to investigate alterations in that microbiota on the basis of sample collection site (rectum vs stall floor), sample location within the fecal ball (center vs surface), and duration of environmental exposure (collection time).
ANIMALS 6 healthy adult mixed-breed mares.
PROCEDURES From each horse, feces were collected from the rectum and placed on a straw-bedded stall floor. A fecal ball was selected for analysis immediately after removal from the rectum and at 0 (immediately), 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after placement on the stall floor. Approximately 250 mg of feces was extracted from the surface and center of each fecal ball, and genomic DNA was extracted, purified, amplified for the V1-V2 hypervariable region of the 16S rDNA gene, and analyzed with a bioinformatics pipeline.
RESULTS The fecal microbiota was unique for each horse. Bacterial community composition varied significantly between center and surface fecal samples but was not affected by collection time. Bacterial community composition varied rapidly for surface fecal samples. Individual bacterial taxa were significantly associated with both sample location and collection time but remained fairly stable for up to 6 hours for center fecal samples.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that, for horses, fecal samples for microbiota analysis should be extracted from the center of fecal balls collected within 6 hours after defecation. Samples obtained up to 24 hours after defecation can be analyzed with the realization that some bacterial populations may deviate from those immediately after defecation.
Use of plethysmographic variability index and perfusion index to evaluate changes in arterial blood pressure in anesthetized tigers (Panthera tigris)
Authors: Smith Christopher K. , Seddighi Reza , Zhu Xiaojuan , Tepe Andrew J. , Ramsay Edward C. , Cushing Andrew C. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate use of the plethysmographic variability index (PVI) and perfusion index (PI) for evaluating changes in arterial blood pressure in anesthetized tigers (Panthera tigris).
ANIMALS 8 adult tigers.
PROCEDURES Each tiger was anesthetized once with a combination of ketamine, midazolam, medetomidine, and isoflurane. Anesthetic monitoring included assessment of PI, PVI, direct blood pressure measurements, anesthetic gas concentrations, esophageal temperature, and results of capnography and ECG. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was maintained for at least 20 minutes at each of the following blood pressure conditions: hypotensive (MAP = 50 ± 5 mm Hg), normotensive (MAP = 70 ± 5 mm Hg), and hypertensive (MAP = 90 ± 5 mm Hg). Arterial blood gas analysis was performed at the beginning of anesthesia and at each blood pressure condition.
RESULTS Mean ± SD PI values were 1.82 ± 2.38%, 1.17 ± 0.77%, and 1.71 ± 1.51% and mean PVI values were 16.00 ± 5.07%, 10.44 ± 3.55%, and 8.17 ± 3.49% for hypotensive, normotensive, and hypertensive conditions, respectively. The PI values did not differ significantly among blood pressure conditions. The PVI value for the hypotensive condition differed significantly from values for the normotensive and hypertensive conditions. The PVI values were significantly correlated with MAP (r = −0.657). The OR of hypotension to nonhypotension for PVI values ≥ 18% was 43.6.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE PVI was a clinically applicable variable determined by use of noninvasive methods in anesthetized tigers. Values of PVI ≥ 18% may indicate hypotension.
Effects of transdermal fentanyl solution application and subsequent naloxone hydrochloride administration on minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs
Authors: Grasso Stefania C. , Ko Jeff C. , Weil Ann B. , Hess Jennifer A. , Paranjape Vaidehi , Payton Mark 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the isoflurane-sparing effect of a transdermal formulation of fentanyl solution (TFS) and subsequent naloxone administration in dogs.
DESIGN Experiment.
ANIMALS 6 healthy mixed-breed dogs.
PROCEDURES Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane was determined in each dog with a tail clamp method (baseline). Two weeks later, dogs were treated with TFS (2.7 mg/kg [1.23 mg/lb]), and the MAC of isoflurane was determined 4 and 24 hours later. After the 4-hour MAC assessment, saline (0.9% NaCl) solution was immediately administered IV and MAC was reassessed. After the 24-hour MAC assessment, naloxone hydrochloride (0.02 mg/kg [0.01 mg/lb], IV) was immediately administered and MAC was reassessed. Heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure, end-tidal partial pressure of CO2, and oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry were recorded for each MAC assessment.
RESULTS Mean ± SD MAC of isoflurane at 4 and 24 hours after TFS application was 45.4 ± 4.0% and 45.5 ± 4.5% lower than at baseline, respectively. Following naloxone administration, only a minimal reduction in MAC was identified (mean percentage decrease from baseline of 13.1 ± 2.2%, compared with 43.8 ± 5.6% for saline solution). Mean heart rate was significantly higher after naloxone administration (113.2 ± 22.2 beats/min) than after saline solution administration (76.7 ± 20.0 beats/min). No significant differences in other variables were identified among treatments.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The isoflurane-sparing effects of TFS in healthy dogs were consistent and sustained between 4 and 24 hours after application, and these effects should be taken into consideration when anesthetizing or reanesthetizing TFS-treated dogs.
Retrospective comparison of short-term outcomes following thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy for surgical correction of persistent right aortic arch in dogs
Authors: Nucci Daniel J. , Hurst Keriann C. , Monnet Eric 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate thoracoscopy as a treatment for dogs with persistent right aortic arch (PRAA) and to compare intra- and postoperative complications and short-term outcomes of dogs that underwent thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy for treatment of PRAA.
DESIGN Retrospective cohort study.
ANIMALS 30 dogs (24 client-owned and 6 shelter-owned) that had undergone thoracoscopy or thoracotomy for treatment of PPRA between 1998 and 2015.
PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and data were compared between dogs that underwent thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy. For dogs that underwent thoracoscopy, linear regression was performed to compare duration of surgery with sequential order of thoracoscopies.
RESULTS Dogs underwent a thoracotomy alone (n = 15), thoracoscopy alone (10), or thoracoscopy converted to thoracotomy (5) for treatment of PRAA. Median duration of surgery was not markedly different among groups, nor was the incidence of postoperative complications or median amount of time a thoracostomy tube was maintained in place. Median duration of hospitalization was 1 day (range, 0.5 to 2 days) for dogs that underwent thoracoscopy and 2 days (range, 0.5 to 22 days) for dogs that underwent thoracotomy or in which thoracoscopy was converted to a thoracotomy.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Thoracoscopy was found to be an acceptable method for treating dogs with PRAA and was not associated with higher morbidity or mortality rates, compared with thoracotomy.
Theory of state and law on legal influence
Authors: Berg L N. 
Published: July 2018

Introduction. The article analyzes the legal impact as a systemic structure. The main emphasis is on the possibility of its recognition as an artificially natural open complex system, which requires revision of the theoretical and legal concepts of the phenomenon under study, its structure and the place in the theory of state and law.Materials and methods. The methodological research is based on general scientific and special methods of knowledge of legal impact as a system, including analysis, synthesis, analogy, generalization, comparison. The use of the system approach allowed revealing the dynamic nature of the legal impact, the element-by-element nature of changes in the legal system and in society.Results of the study. The identification of a special quality of legal impact – its system, requires the use of systematic methodology. In this case, there is an opportunity to reveal the potential of legal impact, taking into account not only its normative core, but also the multi-factor interaction with the external environment, culture, socio-economic reality, forms of legal and psychological impact.The arguments in favor of a systematic approach in the theory of state and law, without denying the instrumental approach, contain statements about the interdisciplinary nature of the legal impact, new opportunities for a detailed study of the intensive relationships and interactions between its elements as a system, to approach the solution of problems about the composition and legal nature of such elements.Discussion and conclusion. In theoretical and practical studies of the nature of legal impact, it is important to find and characterize its complex system levels, series and elements in a timely manner, which expands the horizons of not only its understanding, but also increases efficiency through the expansion of forms of legal impact in the improvement of national legislation. In this context, further research on the theory of state and law is extremely necessary: the study and description of the legal statics, the dynamics of the legal system, their methodological justification give a new impetus to the representation of legal reality experiencing dynamic changes.
The international treaties of the Russian Federation applicable to exploration and exploitation of transboundary fields
Authors: Glikman O V. 
Published: July 2018

Introduction. The article presents a complex review of international treaties of the Russian Federation applicable to exploration and exploitation of transboundary fields. The author exposes the importance of these international treaties for subsoil users.Material and methods. The methodological basis of the research consists of general scientific methods and special legal methods (the comparative legal method, the methods of interpretation, the method of legal modeling).Results. The author formulates the definition of transboundary field, proposes the classification of the international treaties of the Russian Federation applicable to exploration and exploitation of transboundary fields, presents a general review of the identified types, reveals their features, differences of mechanisms, draws the conclusions about the importance of these international treaties for subsoil users.Discussion and conclusion. The international treaties of the Russian Federation applicable to exploration and exploitation of transboundary fields are subdivided into four types: 1) on a state border and (or) delimitation of sea spaces; 2) on the regime of a state border; 3) on exploration and exploitation of certain transboundary fields; 4) related international treaties.The differences of the mechanisms of the international treaties under examination are directly connected with a type of transboundary field (its resources), its production characteristics, regional features, how friendly the relations between two states are, their interest in cooperation in this sphere and the desire of their companies to carry on joint activities on the respective subsoil plots.Some mechanisms of these treaties need further development.