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This study examines the effect of teaching a school rhetoric unit employing Osborn's (1963) model. The study sample consisted of 70 Jordanian eleventh-grade students, with 35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group. Two instruments were used to collect data: a scale designed according to Osborn's model and an achievement test. The school unit of rhetorical concept development was applied to six classes over six weeks in the experimental group, while the control group was taught using the standard method. The findings showed statistically significant differences in favour of the experimental group, with means of 76.66 and 66.15, respectively. The t-test value was 13.02, statistically significant at a significance level 0.01. The impact percentage was calculated at 92%, indicating a statistically significant result according to the Karl formula. Therefore, this percentage is a positive indicator of the effectiveness of using the Osborn model for the conceptual development of the experimental group of students. Based on the findings, the study recommends using this model for teaching rhetoric and literary criticism in other school classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

يعد القطاع الصناعي من أبرز القطاعات الاقتصادية التي تسهم في بناء أي اقتصاد، ويتناول بحثنا الدور الذي يؤديه القطاع الصناعي في بناء الاقتصاد العراقي ونمو ناتجه المحلي، وتسليط الضوء على ملامح الخلل في البنية المكونة لنمو القطاعات الإنتاجية الصناعية، وتوجيه الصناعة في عملية تغيير البنية الإنتاجية عبر الدعم والتحفيز الحكومي. واستخدم الباحث في تحليله الاسلوب الاستقرائي الاستنباطي وتم استخدام المنهج الوصفي في عرض المفاهيم الخاصة بالناتج المحلي الاجمالي ودور القطاع الصناعي في نمو الناتج المحلي. أما أهم الاستنتاجات التي توصل إليها البحث تتمثل بانخفاض مساهمة القطاع الصناعي في الناتج المحلي الاجمالي وتوصل البحث إلى إعادة بناء القطاعات واعطاء دور أكبر للقطاع الخاص والقضاء على الفساد واستثمار واردات النفط في إعادة المنشئات المعطلة.

Trichoderma is environmentally vital due to their plant growth-promoting effects (such as enhancement of nutrients supply, suppression of plant pathogens, and promotion of plant defense). Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are diverse chemical substances emitted by Trichoderma spp. The potential role of VOCs in biological control and plant growth promotion has recently been recognized. Here, the Trichoderma-VOCs' performance for plant growth promotion and suppression of plant pathogens are evaluated. We further investigated VOC emission profiles of T. harzianum using GC–MS. The Trichoderma-VOCs exhibited significant (p < 0.05) antifungal properties against all tested pathogenic fungi. T. atroviride-VOCs showed a decisive inhibition of Alternaria panax, Botrytis cinerea, Cylindrocarpon destructans, and Sclerotinia nivalis. The germinating seeds demonstrated growth enhancement in the presence of Trichoderma-VOCs emitted by different strains. Low levels of cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl, cyclotetrasiloxane, and octamethyl were found in T. harzianum KNU1 strain whereas cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl, cyclotetrasiloxane, and octamethyl showed higher emission levels as Si-containing compounds. The results reveal the potentiality of VOCs as a biocontrol resource against deleterious rhizosphere microorganisms and underline the importance of Trichoderma-VOCs emissions in regulating plant growth and development.

Abstract Background Overwhelmingly, women in Middle Eastern countries experience birth as dehumanising and disrespectful. Women’s stories can be a very powerful way of informing health services about the impact of the care they receive and can promote practice change. The aim of this study is to examine Jordanian women’s experiences and constructions of labour and birth in different settings (home, public and private hospitals in Jordan, and Australian public hospitals), over time and across generations. Method A qualitative interpretive design was used. Data were collected by face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 27 Jordanian women. Of these women, 20 were living in Jordan (12 had given birth in the last five years and eight had birthed over 15 years ago) while seven were living in Australia (with birthing experience in both Jordan and Australia). Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results Women’s birth experiences differed across settings and generations and were represented in the four themes: ‘Birth at home: a place of comfort and control’; ‘Public Hospital: you should not have to suffer’; ‘Private Hospital: buying control’ and ‘Australian maternity care: a mixed experience’. In each theme, the concepts: Pain, Privacy, the Personal and to a lesser extent, Purity (cleanliness), were present but experienced in different ways depending on the setting (home, public or private hospital) and the country. Conclusions The findings demonstrate how meanings attributed to labour and birth, particularly the experience of pain, are produced in different settings, providing insights into the institutional management and social context of birth in Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries. In the public hospital environment in Jordan, women had no support and were treated disrespectfully. This was in stark contrast to women birthing at home only one generation before. Change is urgently needed to offer humanised birth in the Jordanian maternity system,

The article aimed to evaluate early intervention programs offered to children with autism spectrum disorder from the point of view of parents in special education centers in Jordan. The study also aimed to identify if there are statistically significant differences in the evaluation of early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorder due to the type of center (governmental or private), and the study sample included (83) parents who benefited from early intervention services provided for their children with autism spectrum disorder. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher prepared a scale to evaluate the level of early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorder from the point of view of parents, in light of international standards and the standards of the Supreme Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities. The results indicated that the level of services of early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorder was of a high in all dimensions of the scale from the point of view of parents and the differences were in favor of the private centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the outcomes of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for nonfunctional pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) in elderly patients. The study involved a retrospective review of NFPAs in patients aged 65 and older who underwent EEA between 2007 and 2022 at a single medical center. The results showed that EEA was a safe and effective option for NFPA resection in elderly patients, with high rates of visual recovery postoperatively and acceptable rates of gross total resection (GTR). The study also identified risk factors for progression and subtotal resection, but found no associations between postoperative complications and age or frailty scores. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery, introduces a novel outcome metric called the 30-day hospitalization ratio (HR) for patients with pituitary adenomas. The metric combines the length of stay and readmission rates within a 30-day period to provide a comprehensive measure of the economic burden of treatment. The study analyzed the clinical records of 468 patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary adenoma. Factors associated with a high HR included high preoperative ASA scores, postoperative lumbar drain placement, intradural extension, and employment status. Understanding these risk factors can lead to personalized monitoring and care, ultimately reducing burden and improving outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery, examines the impact of frailty on surgical outcomes in patients with Cushing's disease (CD). The study analyzed data from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) and found that mild frailty independently predicted outcomes after transsphenoidal surgery for CD. Mildly frail patients had longer hospital stays and were more likely to be discharged to skilled nursing facilities. The study suggests that assessing frailty could be useful for preoperative risk stratification and prognostication in CD patients. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the use of radiomic feature analysis to predict overall survival and progression-free survival after surgery in patients with skull base chordomas. The study extracted radiomic features from preoperative MRI scans and used unsupervised analysis to identify distinct groups based on these features. The results showed that the radiomic features were able to model overall survival and progression-free survival, and were also associated with genetic markers commonly used in clinical decision-making. The authors suggest that radiomics-based imaging biomarkers could be a noninvasive and cost-effective way to personalize care for patients with skull base chordomas. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the establishment of a national pituitary surgical research platform called RAPID, which aims to improve patient care and surgical outcomes for pituitary disorders. The initial focus of the collaboration is on Cushing's disease. The study provides an overview of the patient cohort, surgical outcomes, and lays the foundation for future research. The data collected from nine academic pituitary centers shows that 528 patients with Cushing's disease were treated by 26 neurosurgeons from 2003 to 2023. The report highlights insights into surgical outcomes and disease recurrence rates across different surgeons and environments. The collaboration is expected to advance the standard of care for patients with pituitary disorders. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery, examines the outcomes of patients with Crooke cell adenomas (CCA) compared to those with corticotroph adenomas (sCTA), both of which are types of pituitary corticotroph adenomas found in patients with Cushing's disease. The study, which included 2,826 patients from 12 international centers, found that CCA patients had poorer endocrinologic outcomes compared to sCTA patients, despite having better local control rates and fewer residual tumors. The authors suggest that further research is needed to better understand CCA and develop more targeted treatment approaches. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the issue of unplanned hospital readmissions following trans-sphenoidal surgery for Cushing's disease. The study analyzed data from a multi-institutional database of patients who underwent this surgery between 2003 and 2023. The results showed that 10.3% of patients experienced unplanned readmissions, with the most common reasons being hyponatremia, CSF leak evaluation, headache/nausea, and epistaxis. The study also found that an increased number of chronic medical conditions and the need for a return to surgery were associated with a higher chance of unplanned readmission. The authors suggest strategies to mitigate these readmissions, such as fluid restriction and optimizing chronic medical conditions. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery, explores the factors that contribute to the recurrence of Cushing's disease (CD) after transsphenoidal surgery. The study analyzed data from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) database, which included 383 CD patients. The results showed that patients who experienced recurrence had a longer postoperative hospital stay, larger tumor volumes, and a higher rate of failed prior treatment. Younger age and the absence of cavernous sinus invasion were identified as potential protective factors against recurrence. The findings suggest that early detection and treatment of tumors may improve outcomes for CD patients. [Extracted from the article]

There is increasing evidence that rhizosphere microbes contribute to the stress mitigation process, but the mechanisms of this plant-microbe interaction are not yet understood. Siderophores-producing microorganisms have been considered important for enhancing metal tolerance in plants. In this study, rhizosphere yeasts were isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and examined for siderophores production and heavy metal resistance. Out of thirty-five isolates, only eight yeast strains showed heavy metal-resistance and plant-growth promotion properties. The highest inorganic phosphate-solubilization was shown by Trichosporon ovoides IFM 63839 (2.98 mg ml−1) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae FI25-1F (2.54 mg ml−1). Two strains, namely YEAST-6 and YEAST-16 showed high siderophore production and heavy metal-resistance, were investigated for sidD gene expression under different levels of Cd2+ and Pb2+ toxicity stress. The heavy metal-resistant yeast strains were characterized and identified based on the phenotypic characteristics and their 18S rRNA genes sequence. SidD gene expression was induced by yeasts growing under iron-limiting conditions and excess of other heavy metal, suggesting that expression of sidD gene increases in the presence of 600–800 μM heavy metal but under iron limitation. Extensive studies of the microbe-plant micronutrient interactions will enrich our understanding of the rhizosphere role in the terms of plant growth promotion.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of scholarly production and impact indicators of faculty members at some state Universities in Sudan. The study used a purposive sample which consisted of (191) faculty members from state Universities (El Imam El Mahdi, Bakhat El rrida, Kordofan, & West Kordofan University). To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher used CVs and content analysis as well as the descriptive analytical method. The study showed that the level of indicators of production and scholarly impact of faculty members at those state Universities was low, as the mean was (6.524). The mean of scholarly impact was (7.952) at a level (0.05). There was also a difference in the scholarly production and impact indicators of faculty members at those state Universities in Sudan depending on the place of obtaining the doctorate degree, in favour of those who did their degrees abroad. Also, there was a difference in the scholarly production and impact indicators depending on the academic rank (assistant professor, associate professor, and professor), in favour of Professors. Based on the study results it was recommended that the university administrations and the ministry of higher Education should provide appropriate opportunities for researchers to publish their studies and to subscribe to international academic networks that are interested in the impact of research. Keywords: H-Index, Scholarly production, Scholarly impact.

Importance: Benchmarks aid in improve outcomes for surgical procedures. However, best achievable results that have been validated internationally for transsphenoidal surgery (TS) are not available. Objective: We aimed to establish standardized outcome benchmarks for TS of pituitary adenomas. Design: A total of 2685 transsphenoidal tumor resections from 9 expert centers in 3 continents were analyzed. Setting: Patients were risk stratified, and the median values of each center's outcomes were established. The benchmark was defined as the 75th percentile of all median values for a particular outcome. The postoperative benchmark outcomes included surgical factors, endocrinologyspecific values, and neurology-specific values. Results: Of 2685 patients, 1149 (42.8%) defined the low-risk benchmark cohort. Within these benchmark cases, 831 (72.3%) patients underwent microscopic TS, and 308 (26.8%) patients underwent endoscopic endonasal resection. Of all tumors, 799 (29.8%) cases invaded the cavernous sinus. The postoperative complication rate was 19.6% with mortality between 0.0% and 0.8%. Benchmark cutoffs were ≤2.9% for reoperation rate, ≤1.9% for cerebrospinal fluid leak requiring intervention, and ≤15.5% for transient diabetes insipidus. At 6 months, benchmark cutoffs were calculated as follows: readmission rate: ≤6.9%, new hypopituitarism ≤6.0%, and tumor remnant ≤19.2%. Conclusions: This analysis defines benchmark values for TS targeting morbidity and mortality and represents the best outcomes in the best patients in expert centers. These cutoffs can be used to assess different centers, patient populations, and novel surgical techniques. It should be noted that the benchmark values may influence each other and must be evaluated in their own context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to evaluate expansive soil stabilization using different additives. Twenty soil mixtures consisting of 10%, 20%, 25%, and 30% zeolitic tuff (ZT) with 2%, 4%, and 6% lime in various combinations were used to stabilize the soil for pavement subbase application. A comprehensive test program, including Atterberg's limits, compaction, unconfined compression strength (UCS), California Bearing Ratio (CBR), resilient modulus, and permanent deformation, was performed on natural and stabilized soil specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supplied with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) was used to confirm the study findings. Adding ZT increases the availability of the silica and alumina needed for the pozzolanic reaction; test results revealed that adding ZT increases the maximum dry unit weight, CBR, UCS, resilient modulus, decreases plasticity, and permanent deformation. As such, ZT can improve the physical and mechanical properties of lime-stabilized soil as a pavement's subgrade and subbase layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion recognition is a significant issue in many sectors that use human emotion reactions as communication for marketing, technological equipment, or human–robot interaction. The realistic facial behavior of social robots and artificial agents is still a challenge, limiting their emotional credibility in dyadic face-to-face situations with humans. One obstacle is the lack of appropriate training data on how humans typically interact in such settings. This article focused on collecting the facial behavior of 60 participants to create a new type of dyadic emotion reaction database. For this purpose, we propose a methodology that automatically captures the facial expressions of participants via webcam while they are engaged with other people (facial videos) in emotionally primed contexts. The data were then analyzed using three different Facial Expression Analysis (FEA) tools: iMotions, the Mini-Xception model, and the Py-Feat FEA toolkit. Although the emotion reactions were reported as genuine, the comparative analysis between the aforementioned models could not agree with a single emotion reaction prediction. Based on this result, a more-robust and -effective model for emotion reaction prediction is needed. The relevance of this work for human–computer interaction studies lies in its novel approach to developing adaptive behaviors for synthetic human-like beings (virtual or robotic), allowing them to simulate human facial interaction behavior in contextually varying dyadic situations with humans. This article should be useful for researchers using human emotion analysis while deciding on a suitable methodology to collect facial expression reactions in a dyadic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Stereotactic radiosurgical rhizolysis of the trigeminal nerve is an established modality increasingly employed to alleviate the symptoms of refractory trigeminal neuralgia. This study analyzes the academic impact of the top 100 cited articles on the radiosurgical management of trigeminal neuralgia. Methods The Scopus database was searched for articles containing "radiosurgery" and one or more of "trigeminal neuralgia," "trigeminus neuralgia," and "tic douloureux." The top 100 articles written in English were arranged in descending order by citation count. Documents were evaluated for authors, publication year, journal and impact factor, total citations, nationality, study type, radiosurgical modality, and the affiliated institution. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the data. Results The most cited articles were published between 1971 and 2019. The average citation per year was 4.3. The most targeted anatomic area was the "root entry zone" or proximal portion of the cisternal segment of the trigeminal nerve. The most utilized modality was Gamma Knife radiosurgery. The country with the highest number of publications was the United States. Thirty-six percent of the articles were published in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Lunsford, Kondziolka, Flickinger, and Régis, respectively, were the most frequently listed co-authors. The most prolific institute was the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Conclusion Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important modality in the management of medically or surgically refractory trigeminal neuralgia. This analysis assesses its contributions over the past five decades to identify trends in treatment practices for neurosurgeons and to highlight areas where further study is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning can encode and amplify negative biases or stereotypes already present in humans, resulting in high-profile cases. There can be multiple sources encoding the negative bias in these algorithms, like errors from human labelling, inaccurate representation of different population groups in training datasets, and chosen model structures and optimization methods. Our paper proposes a novel approach to speech processing that can resolve the gender bias problem by eliminating the gender parameter. Therefore, we devised a system that transforms the input sound (speech of a person) into a neutralized voice to the point where the gender of the speaker becomes indistinguishable by both humans and AI. Wav2Vec based network has been utilised to conduct speech gender recognition to validate the main claim of this research work, which is the neutralisation of gender from the speech. Such a system can be used as a batch pre-processing layer for training models, thus making associated gender bias irrelevant. Further, such a system can also find its application where speaker gender bias by humans is also prominent, as the listener will not be able to judge the gender from speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Observations Lessons Craniofacial fibrous dysplasia (CFD) typically occurs in the facial bones and anterior cranial vault and can produce both disfigurement and functional limitations for patients disfigurement. Treatment consists of reducing the abnormal bone. Bone contouring can become challenging when the exposure does not extend to the corresponding normal contralateral structures for comparison or when normal landmarks are not available, which may compromise the overall aesthetic outcome. We describe a technique using dynamic mirroring to accurately contour the involved part of the cranium in a case of giant CFD.A 49-year-old male presented with a giant deforming fibrous dysplasia of the right mastoid and parieto-temporo-occiput that was causing functional limitations due to the size of the bony mass. This was managed with multidisciplinary bony reduction. Several neurovascular structures were in proximity to the areas of planned drilling of the expansile lesion, and dynamic mirroring of the uninvolved left skull was utilized to maximize safety and symmetry of reduction. High-speed drilling of the right occipital bone was performed until the navigation system alerted the surgeon that symmetric depth had been achieved. There were no complications from the procedure and this technique maximized the limits of symmetric reduction without significantly increasing surgical complexity or duration.Dynamic mirroring of bony structures in the posterior cranium is not commonly employed in neurosurgical practice. This technique may help improve the aesthetic outcomes of bony reduction in craniofacial dysplasia and a variety of similarly managed bony lesions, contour cranioplasties, and in unilateral craniosynostosis surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate experimentally the potential of expansive soil stabilization using different additives: zeolitic tuff (ZT), lime, and a combination of lime and ZT. Four different percentages of ZT (10%, 20%, 25%, and 30%), three percentages of lime (2%, 4%, and 6%), and variable percentages of their combinations were used to stabilize the soil for pavement subbase application. Atterberg limits, pH, compaction, linear shrinkage, swelling, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests were performed on treated and untreated soil specimens at different curing times. Results showed that ZT additives effectively reduced the plasticity, linear shrinkage, and swell potential in addition to increase the maximum dry unit weight, UCS, and CBR. The results of this study were supported by a microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated with the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) technique. It was determined that the UCS and CBR values for the 4% lime stabilized soil increased by 22% and 70%, respectively, after the addition of 25% ZT. Based on evaluation of the results, an optimum mixture of 25% ZT and 4% lime stabilized soil can be used in pavement subbase applications as it achieved the minimum strength target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]