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In this paper, we discuss the significance of re-humanizing education and educational research within an AI-dominated era. We also suggest that tactile learning, often overlooked in educational research and digital pedagogies, cultivates unique ways of multi-sensory knowing and encourages holistic understanding, complementing intellectual learning and enriching research processes. Using the metaphors and practices of weaving, knitting, and crocheting, we argue that tactile experiences, especially those involving fiber crafts, create a fabric of interconnections, fostering growth and intellectual expansion. Exploring the applicability of tactile learning in the educational landscape, we examine a number of scholarly works that demonstrate the benefits of integrating fiber craft activities in educational settings across various learning levels. We also delve into the role of researchers as makers and weavers, arguing that the tangible act of textile creation, namely tapestry-making and knitting, encourages reflexivity and allows for revisiting assumptions, refining and deepening meaning-making. We further emphasize the potential of tactile learning as a tool for fostering inclusivity in education and accessibility in the dissemination of research findings. Recognizing the need for academic work to be comprehensible beyond the confines of academia, we suggest the use of tactile representations, such as a woven tapestry, as non-traditional, creative ways to share research outcomes with a wider and more diversified audience. In essence, this paper underscores the potential of a combination of tactile learning and reflexivity in inspiring new insights and threading humanity back into education and educational research.

Background and objective: Globally, tobacco use is one of the most serious public health concerns and preventable causes of morbidity and mortality, expected to reach annually more than 8 million deaths by the year 2030. In light of this estimation and limited surveillance of smoking, this study aimed to identify the tobacco use trends and patterns in various forms in Erbil city. Methods: A community‐based cross‐sectional household survey was carried out from September 2021 through June 2022, on a sample of 2601 respondents selected through a multi‐stage cluster sampling method in Erbil city. A specially designed questionnaire through direct interviews was used to collect socio-demographic and smoking-related data. Results: The prevalence of current daily smoking was 44.3%, occasional smoking was 14.5%, Ex-smoking was 8.0%, and those who never smoked before 33.2%.The prevalence of cigarette, and waterpipe smoking was 37.2%, and 46.5%respectively. More than half (51.0%) had tried to quit smoking at least once in their life, while 11.9% succeeded to quit. The main reason behind quitting was anticipated health risks (97.3%). The prevalence of smoking was significantly higher among those aged 20-29 years, single, males, college education, those having skilled manual /non-manual occupations, those who have smoker friends, and from a middle socioeconomic level Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking (current daily and occasional) was more than half and about one-third never smoked before. More than half had tried to quit smoking at least once in their life but (11.9%) succeeded to quit due to anticipate health risks and family pressure.

Abstract Background Women undergoing cardiac surgery have been historically recognized to carry higher periprocedural mortality risk. We aimed to investigate the influence of sex on clinical presentation, perioperative, and long-term outcomes in patients who undergo surgery for ascending aortic aneurysm. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 1148 consecutive patients (380 [33.1%] female) who underwent thoracic aortic surgery under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest for ascending aortic aneurysms between 2001 and 2021. Baseline and operative characteristics, in-hospital mortality, and survival were compared between male and female patients before and after propensity-score-matched (PSM) analysis. Results Women were significantly older (median age: 69 [IQR: 63–75] vs. 67 [IQR: 58–73]; P

Lebanon's economic crisis has disrupted the country's energy and water sectors, highlighting their interdependence. The methodology involves surveying 150 municipalities across all Lebanese governorates, ensuring a comprehensive coverage of public and private water resources. Data on water and energy were collected before and during the crisis to explore this nexus during periods of economic turmoil. The findings reveal a decline in water provision during the crisis, with the average weekly water supply plummeting from 49 h in 2019 to 22 h in 2023. Concurrently, the use of water tankers has surged from 26 to 44%, indicating a concerning shift in water acquisition methods. Despite the crisis, conventional water sources remain predominant, while unconventional sources account for less than 1% of the total supply. In response to the energy shortage, renewable energy sources have gained traction in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The scarcity and rising cost of electricity have driven the adoption of solar photovoltaics in the water sector, reaching 4.8% for extraction from underground reservoirs and 2.8% for distribution. Similarly, the use of solar water heaters has increased from 7.9 to 15.4% in 2023. These findings underscore the interplay between energy and water security during periods of economic instability. HIGHLIGHTS Currency devaluation exposes vulnerability in the water–energy nexus.; Significant decrease in water availability during the economic downturn with household access dropping from 49 to 22 h per week.; A notable shift in water acquisition methods with 44% of the population relying on water tankers.; Emerging adoption of solar photovoltaic technology in the water sector.;

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common valvular disease worldwide. MR has been managed surgically, with either a mitral valve replacement or repair. Percutaneous transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) with MitraClip® insertion has gained wide popularity and success over medical and surgical therapy for MR. Some patients with acute MR or decompensated heart failure could benefit from urgent TMVr. This meta-analysis aims to compare clinical outcomes of urgent versus elective TMVr. Methods: We performed a study-level meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of urgent versus elective TMVr using the MitraClip system. The primary endpoint outcome was all-cause mortality. Additional outcomes included procedural success, postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), stroke, and length of in-hospital stay. Results: Overall, 30-day mortality was significantly higher in the urgent group (odds ratio [OR]: 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.17, 3.48]; P < 0.00001; I2 =0%). However, subgroup analysis of matched cohorts showed no significant difference between both groups (OR: 1.80; 95% CI [0.94, 3.46]; P = 0.08; I2 =0%). One-year mortality was similar between both groups (and: 1.67; 95% CI [0.96, 2.90]; P = 0.07; I2 =0%). Procedural success was similar between both groups (89.4% vs. 89.8%; P = 0.43). Postoperative AKI was significantly higher in the urgent group (OR: 4.12; 95% CI [2.87, 5.91]; P < 0.00001; I2 =0%). Conclusion: Urgent TMVr should be indicated in select populations as it is considered therapeutic with acceptable outcomes therein.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cushing's disease is a rare endocrine disorder. This review aimed to examine sex-specific differences in Cushing's disease. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A meta-analysis was performed on published articles discussing the gender impact of Cushing's disease. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted to identify studies from Medline, Embase, CENTRAL and Scopus. Nine studies enrolling 1047 patients diagnosed with Cushing's disease were included in this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Male patients presented at a younger age (MD [mean difference]=−5.43; 95% CI [−5.78, −5.08]; P

Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM) plays a crucial role in the field of robotic systems, especially for interactive and collaborative mobile robots. The growing reliance on robotics has increased complexity in task execution in real-world applications. Consequently, several types of V-SLAM methods have been revealed to facilitate and streamline the functions of robots. This work aims to showcase the latest V-SLAM methodologies, offering clear selection criteria for researchers and developers to choose the right approach for their robotic applications. It chronologically presents the evolution of SLAM methods, highlighting key principles and providing comparative analyses between them. The paper focuses on the integration of the robotic ecosystem with a robot operating system (ROS) as Middleware, explores essential V-SLAM benchmark datasets, and presents demonstrative figures for each method’s workflow.

In this paper, we discuss the significance of re-humanizing education and educational research within an AI-dominated era. We also suggest that tactile learning, often overlooked in educational research and digital pedagogies, cultivates unique ways of multi-sensory knowing and encourages holistic understanding, complementing intellectual learning and enriching research processes. Using the metaphors and practices of weaving, knitting, and crocheting, we argue that tactile experiences, especially those involving fiber crafts, create a fabric of interconnections, fostering growth and intellectual expansion. Exploring the applicability of tactile learning in the educational landscape, we examine a number of scholarly works that demonstrate the benefits of integrating fiber craft activities in educational settings across various learning levels. We also delve into the role of researchers as makers and weavers, arguing that the tangible act of textile creation, namely tapestry-making and knitting, encourages reflexivity and allows for revisiting assumptions, refining and deepening meaning-making. We further emphasize the potential of tactile learning as a tool for fostering inclusivity in education and accessibility in the dissemination of research findings. Recognizing the need for academic work to be comprehensible beyond the confines of academia, we suggest the use of tactile representations, such as a woven tapestry, as non-traditional, creative ways to share research outcomes with a wider and more diversified audience. In essence, this paper underscores the potential of a combination of tactile learning and reflexivity in inspiring new insights and threading humanity back into education and educational research.

Does nonverbal communication exist in asynchronous, text-based online education? It is commonly believed that it does not due to the absence of body language and paralanguage. An examination of the definitions and forms of nonverbal cues suggests the possibility for some of them to be transmitted through asynchronous, text-based online human interactions. To explore the presence, type, and potential impact of "electronic" nonverbal cues (eNVC), I conducted this research using the Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Method Design. Phase 1 constituted the preliminary, qualitative stage of this research, during which participants completed an online questionnaire to identify what actions, if any, could "speak louder than words" in discussion-based courses. Thematic analysis of the questionnaire answers revealed the potential existence and influence of several eNVC categories. Phase 2 constituted the quantitative stage, and served to validate Phase 1 findings through the data collection and analysis of two versions of an online survey: one for professors and another for learners. The collated research findings confirmed that eNVC exist and communicate messages beyond those sent and received through printed words in the asynchronous, online learning environment. According to study participants, these types of electronic cues contributed to the social and teaching presences, and therefore carried the potential to influence students' levels of engagement and motivation.

BackgroundMetabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a rapidly growing global health problem. Despite its growing incidence and potential for significant repercussions, MAFLD is still widely misunderstood and underdiagnosed.AimThe purpose of this study was to investigate MAFLD-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk profiles among university students aged 17 to 26.MethodsA cross-sectional study with 406 university students in Lebanon, equally distributed among males and females, was conducted using a questionnaire that includes demographics, medical information, dietary habits, physical activity, and MAFLD-related knowledge and attitudes.ResultsThe findings demonstrated a significant lack of knowledge regarding MAFLD, with more than half of participants (54.7%) having no prior knowledge of the illness. Students exhibited unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as smoking (68%), insufficient physical exercise (44.1%), and poor food habits (52.5%). Having a family history of heart disease, personal history of diabetes mellitus, a balanced diet and prior knowledge of the disease were associated with a higher knowledge score (pConclusionDespite knowledge gaps, university students in Lebanon have, in general, an appropriate and positive attitude towards MAFLD. We recommend the introduction of focused educational interventions to address the necessity of lifestyle changes among university students and the community as a whole. Developing comprehensive MAFLD prevention methods requires future studies in different age groups and demographics.

Purpose: The intention for this study was to explore any relationship that might exist between quality of learning experience (QLE), the second construct student satisfaction (SS) and the third construct perceived overall experience (POE) among undergraduate students within the higher education context. This study also attempts to explain the path direction between QLE, SS and POE. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers utilized structural equation modeling to analyze the variables considered for this study -- QLE, SS and POE and for hypotheses testing. Respondents for this study were medical students' coordinators of the undergraduate level of medical colleges in the 28 states of India. Data collected for the study were possible by utilizing a questionnaire that was emailed to these student coordinators. The emailing effort returned 198 (n) filled questionnaires (complete) representing 198 institutions offering undergraduate-level medical programs out of a total of 542 institutions that offer undergraduate medical programs. Findings: Findings from this study confirm the relationship between QLE with SS, and PLE. Interestingly, the findings established a significant relationship between SS and POE. Practical implications: Decision-makers and administrators of higher education institutions (HEIs) can utilize the findings from this study to focus on strengthening important elements of QLE in ways that positively impact SS and POE of students taking online courses and program offerings. The study reiterates the importance of course content, course structure, lecture-delivery quality, instructor mentoring and student-instructor interactions on SS and POE. The role of SS in reinforcing confirmation, perceived usefulness, perceived openness of the online courses and the perceived reputation was established. This relationship is key to administrators while they focus on improving SS and building on the institutions' reputation in addition to their efforts to support marketing and enrollments during the pandemic. Originality/value: Researchers in the past have examined the relationships between QLE and another construct of this study -- SS. Past research has also examined the relationship between QLE and POE. However, there is not enough research exploring the relationship between SS and POE. This study establishes the relationship between SS and POE that benefits decision-makers in higher education.

BackgroundBetahistine was registered in Europe in the 1970s and approved in more than 80 countries as a first-line treatment for Menière's disease. It has been administered to more than 150 million patients. However, according to a Cochrane systematic review of betahistine and recent meta-analyses, there is insufficient evidence to say whether betahistine has any effect in the currently approved dosages of up to 48 mg/d. A combination with the monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, selegiline, may increase the bioavailability of betahistine to levels similar to the well-established combination of L-DOPA with carbidopa or benserazide in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. We investigated the effect of selegiline on betahistine pharmacokinetics and the safety of the combination in humans.MethodsIn an investigator-initiated prospective, non-randomized, single-sequence, two-period titration, open label single-center phase 1 study, 15 healthy volunteers received three single oral dosages of betahistine (24, 48, and 96 mg in this sequence with at least 2 days' washout period) without and with selegiline (5 mg/d with a loading period of 7 days). Betahistine serum concentrations were measured over a period of 240 min at eight time points (area under the curve, AUC0-240 min). This trial is registered with EudraCT (2019-002610-39) and ClinicalTrials.gov.FindingsIn all three single betahistine dosages, selegiline increased the betahistine bioavailability about 80- to 100-fold. For instance, the mean (±SD) of the area under curve for betahistine 48 mg alone was 0.64 (+/-0.47) h*ng/mL and for betahistine plus selegiline 53.28 (+/-37.49) h*ng/mL. The half-life time of around 30 min was largely unaffected, except for the 24 mg betahistine dosage. In total, 14 mild adverse events were documented.InterpretationThis phase 1 trial shows that the MAO-B inhibitor selegiline increases betahistine bioavailability by a factor of about 80 to 100. No safety concerns were detected. Whether the increased bioavailability has an impact on the preventive treatment of Menière's disease, acute vestibular syndrome, or post-BPPV residual dizziness has to be evaluated in placebo-controlled trials.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05938517?intr=betahistine%20and%20selegiline&rank=1, identifier: NCT05938517.

Background and objective: Stroke is still one of the major causes of death, and the incidence and mortalities are increasing. The objective of the study is to measure the three months outcome of stroke patients discharged alive from the hospital. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out in Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Iraq during the period from 1st of April, 2018 to the 30th September, 2018 involving 100 patients with ischemic stroke. Results: The mean age (± SD) of patients was 64.15 ± 13.35 years, the age ranging from 26-89 years, and the median was 65 years. More than half (54%) of patients were males. Twenty (20%) patients died within three months after the development of stroke, 4% developed ischemic stroke after three months. Significantly higher rates of death were detected among those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P

Background The prognostic factors for patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears (RCTs) include tear size, muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration. However, the influence of early coexisting degenerative changes on RCT outcomes is unappreciated. The purpose of this study was to calculate the impact that pre-existing partial glenohumeral cartilaginous changes have on patients undergoing arthroscopic RCT repair. Methods A study of 54 patients undergoing arthroscopic RCT repair was undertaken. The presence of co-existing patches of glenohumeral degenerative cartilaginous changes and RCT size was recorded at surgery. Pre- and postoperative outcomes were assessed using traditional (Oxford Shoulder Score [OSS], 5-level EuroQol-5D [EQ-5D-5L] questionnaire and EuroQol visual analog scale [EQ-VAS]) and patient-centric re-formatted prisms. Outcomes were assessed as an entire dataset, and sub-group analysis was performed according to the grade of co-existing arthritis and tear size. Results Significant improvements (p

BackgroundFlavivirus infections pose a significant global health burden underscoring the need for the development of safe and effective vaccination strategies. Available flavivirus vaccines are from time to time concomitantly delivered to individuals. Co-administration of different vaccines saves time and visits to health care units and vaccine clinics. It serves to provide protection against multiple pathogens in a shorter time-span; e.g., for individuals travelling to different endemic areas. However, safety and immunogenicity-related responses have not been appropriately evaluated upon concomitant delivery of these vaccines. Therefore, we performed an open label, non-randomized clinical trial studying the safety and immunogenicity following concomitant delivery of the yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccine with tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JE) virus vaccines.Methods and findingsFollowing screening, healthy study participants were enrolled into different cohorts receiving either TBEV and YFV vaccines, JEV and YFV vaccines, or in control groups receiving only the TBEV, JEV, or YFV vaccine. Concomitant delivery was given in the same or different upper arms for comparison in the co-vaccination cohorts. Adverse effects were recorded throughout the study period and blood samples were taken before and at multiple time-points following vaccination to evaluate immunological responses to the vaccines. Adverse events were predominantly mild in the study groups. Four serious adverse events (SAE) were reported, none of them deemed related to vaccination. The development of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against TBEV, JEV, or YFV was not affected by the concomitant vaccination strategy. Concomitant vaccination in the same or different upper arms did not significantly affect safety or immunogenicity-related outcomes. Exploratory studies on immunological effects were additionally performed and included studies of lymphocyte activation, correlates associated with germinal center activation, and plasmablast expansion.ConclusionsInactivated TBEV or JEV vaccines can be co-administered with the live attenuated YFV vaccine without an increased risk of adverse events and without reduced development of nAbs to the respective viruses. The vaccines can be delivered in the same upper arm without negative outcome. In a broader perspective, the results add valuable information for simultaneous administration of live and inactivated flavivirus vaccines in general.Trial registrationEudra CT 2017-002137-32.

Background and objective: Coronary artery calcium is a specific indicator of and an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, calcium scoring may miss non calcified plaques, which were indicated to be of clinical importance. This study aimed to identify the presence of non calcified plaques in patients with zero coronary artery calcium score who have been examined with computed tomography coronary angiography and find out any association between the presence of non-calcified plaques and risk factors and presenting symptoms in those patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the computed tomography images of 9826 consecutive patients attending the cardiac center in Erbil, Iraq, between January 2016 and September 2020. Of these patients, we included 2805 patients with a zero coronary artery calcium score in the study. Coronary calcium-scoring scans were followed by computed tomography coronary angiography (256 MSCT Philips ICT). The coronary artery calcium scores were calculated, and the presence of non calcified plaques and significant stenosis (>50% of vessel diameter) were evaluated. Results: Of the 2805 patients with a zero coronary artery calcium score, 896 (31.9%) had atherosclerotic plaques; 143 patients (5.1%) had significant coronary stenosis. Among coronary risk factors, diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.4-3.3), hypertension (OR = 1.3; 95% CI 1.07-1.58)), male sex (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.5-2.3) and old age (OR was 3.2 for the age group 35-44 years reaching 27.7 in the age group ≥ 75 years) were significantly correlated with the presence of atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery disease. Conclusion: Although coronary artery calcium scoring is a safe and reliable test to exclude obstructive coronary artery disease, the absence of coronary artery calcium does not absolutely exclude the presence of atherosclerosis. Computed tomography coronary angiography is mandatory for determining the atheroma burden from zero coronary artery calcium score plaques.