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Omar Abdallah Khan, Gorka Sesma, Abeer Alawi, Manal AlWazae Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Division, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Gorka Sesma, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Division, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966114849700, Fax +966114821908, Email gsesma@kkesh.med.saPurpose: To compare the outcomes of non-penetrating deep sclerectomy (NPDS) for primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) performed by experienced vs trainee surgeons.Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2022 in Saudi Arabia. Consultants (Gr-1) and trainee pediatric ophthalmologists (Gr-2) performed NPDS on pediatric patients with PCG. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) less than 21 mmHg at 6 months after surgery. Complications, glaucoma medications, and additional procedures were also observed in the two groups.Results: Gr-1 and Gr-2 operated on 14 and 39 eyes with PCG, respectively. The absolute success rates were 90.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 73.9, 100) in Gr-1 and 96.7% (95% CI: 90.2, 100) in Gr-2 (odds Ratio=1.1; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.3; P=0.54). Survival analysis suggested that the failure rate in the first 6 months after NPDS was not significantly different between the two groups (hazard ratio=1.45; 95% CI: 0.13, 16.0; P=0.767). The complications included hypotony (2 cases), vitreous hemorrhage (1 case), and total flap penetration (1 case). Only one eye in Gr-2 needed glaucoma medication after surgery. There was no significant difference in the success rates of one surgeon before and after training (P=0.43). The age (P=0.59) and sex (P=0.77) of patients, type of surgeon (P=0.94), and preoperative IOP (P=0.59) were not significant predictors of a stable IOP at 6 months after NPDS.Conclusion: At 6 months after NPDS surgery performed by experienced and trainee pediatric ophthalmologists, the outcomes (stabilization of IOP) were similar between the two groups.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: pediatric glaucoma, learning curve, medical education, surgical training, intraocular pressure, glaucoma surgery

Journalists' use of live broadcasting on social media platforms has become popular to share news and discuss it with followers. This study aimed to know what the gratifications achieved from the use of the live broadcast feature on Facebook among Jordanian journalists and what are the most posts of journalists in the live broadcast via Facebook, which received great interaction from their viewers. To achieve the study objectives, descriptive research has used by electronic questionnaire. The study sample consisted of (114) journalists using live broadcasting, selected purposely. The results of the study revealed that the use of live broadcasting significantly contributed to increasing journalist skills. On the other hand, Live broadcasting which broadcasts exclusive news ranked first for the most viewed posts.

The objectives of this study was to estimate the genetic variability and association between yield and its components in six sesame genotypes widely grown in North Kordofan under rainfed conditions. The genotypes showed highly significant variation in agronomic performance for all of the studied traits except of plant height. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all studied traits. High PCV and GCV were recorded for biological yield and seed yield. High heritability (in a broad sense) was obtained for 1000 seed weight and the number of seeds per capsule. The highest genetic advanced (GA) was exhibited by biological yield and seed yield. High genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM %) was recorded for a thousand seed weight and number of branches per plant. High heritability coupled with genetic advance as a percentage of the means was registered by thousand seed weight, number of branches per plant and harvest index. Number of capsules per plant showed significant negative genotypic and phenotypic correlations with a thousand seed weight indicating selection of one trait will be accompanied by low performance of the other. Highly significant positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations were revealed by the association of plant populations with a thousand seed weight, number of seed per capsule with harvest index, and thousand seeds weight with biological yield. Therefore, selection based on these traits would be effective in future sesame yield under rain fed conditions.

Sustaining Digital Transformation processes is a significant challenge for all organisations, especially in the manufacturing sector. Undoubtedly, Digital Transformation (DT) is becoming increasingly crucial for successfully implementing manufacturing operations. This paper discusses Digital Culture’s role in sustainable digital transformation projects by discussing the digital culture attributes that must be inside the organisation’s top management level. These attributes are collaboration, innovation, accountability, transparency, customer-centricity, and human development. By identifying these attributes in a clear and incremental model, manufacturing organisations will be able to incorporate the digital culture factor in their digital transformation operations to ensure the sustainability of these operations.

Some scholars are still thinking that Arabs in Pre-Islamic era were immersed in ignorance, and they had no knowledge and sciences to help them wade through their tough life. Those scholars even believe that Pre-Islamic Arabs confined themselves with a life of passiveness, negativity and nihilism. This paper aims to demonstrate a scientific refutation of the above allegation by proving that Arabs were dealing at high level with every facet of their environment. The researcher will specify his defense of this case, by taking one issue as a model which is The Rain and its predictions. Abundant poems have mentioned rain and rainfalls in their odes. Moreover, in the documentation era, a lot of books have been authored and appeared, which are called "Anwa'“; i.e. meteorological observations. Some of such books are published nowadays, while many are still kept as manuscripts or have been lost. I concluded that Arabs have dealt with the predictions of rains and established rubrics in exploring the rainy clouds. They knew the times of rainfalls by the clouds' colors and lightening. In addition, there were persons and tribes who were the most knowing in this regard. Another conclusion in this paper, worth mentioning is that Arabs have achieved integrated Knowledge, and this paper represents a response to those who defame the Pre-Islamic Era and its people as being satisfied with eloquence, orations and poets. Furthermore, I found out that Arabs have linked up with other countries and benefited from their knowledge and was not isolated in the Arabic Peninsula.

Additional file 1: Table 1. Multivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between the recognition of colorectal cancer signs/symptoms with mass/blood and participant characteristics. Table 2. Multivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between the recognition of colorectal cancer signs/symptoms of a non-specific nature and participant characteristics. Table 3. Multivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between the recognition of other gastrointestinal signs/symptoms and participant characteristics. Table 4. Bivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between recognizing colorectal cancer symptoms with mass/blood and participant characteristics. Table 5. Bivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between recognizing colorectal cancer symptoms of a non-specific nature and participant characteristics. Table 6. Bivariable logistic regression analyzing the association between recognizing other gastrointestinal symptoms and participant characteristics.

Background The connection between initial viral cycle threshold (Ct) values of the SARS-CoV-2 with symptoms and hospital course is not clearly studied. Methods This is a retrospective study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients from Jun 1st 2020 to March 30th, 2021 examining the relationship between initial viral cycle threshold (Ct) values of SARS-CoV-2 as obtained from nasopharyngeal samples. The clinical presentations and outcomes were analyzed in relation to the initial Ct values. Results The study included 202 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with a mean age (± SD) of 54.75 (± 15.93) and 123 (60.9%) males and 79 (39.1%) females. Of all the patients, the most frequent comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (95; 47%) and the most frequent symptoms were fever (148; 73.3%) and cough (141; 69.8%). There was no significant difference in relation to underlying conditions, clinical presentation, radiographic and laboratory data among those with low, medium and high Ct values. The mean Ct values showed no statistical change over the 10-month study period. Conclusions Initial SARS-CoV-2 Ct values did not show any association with clinical symptoms and did not predict the need for mechanical intubation or death.

Background In low-resource settings, the awareness level of colorectal cancer (CRC) signs and symptoms plays a crucial role in early detection and treatment. This study examined the public awareness level of CRC signs and symptoms in Palestine and investigated the factors associated with good awareness. Methods This was a national cross-sectional study conducted at hospitals, primary healthcare centers, and public spaces in 11 governorates across Palestine between July 2019 and March 2020. A translated-into-Arabic version of the validated bowel cancer awareness measure (BoCAM) was utilized to assess the awareness level of CRC signs and symptoms. For each correctly identified CRC sign/symptom, one point was given. The total score (ranging from 0 to 12) was calculated and categorized into three categories based on the number of symptoms recognized: poor (0 to 4), fair (5 to 8), and good awareness (9 to 12). Results Of 5254 approached, 4877 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate = 92.3%). A total of 4623 questionnaires were included in the analysis; 1923 were from the Gaza Strip and 2700 from the West Bank and Jerusalem (WBJ). Participants from the Gaza Strip were younger, gained lower monthly income, and had less chronic diseases than participants in the WBJ. The most frequently identified CRC sign/symptom was ‘lump in the abdomen’ while the least was ‘pain in the back passage’. Only 1849 participants (40.0%, 95% CI: 39.0%-41.0%) had a good awareness level of CRC signs/symptoms. Participants living in the WBJ were more likely to have good awareness than participants living in the Gaza Strip (42.2% vs. 37.0%; p = 0.002). Knowing someone with cancer (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.21–1.55; p p p = 0.006) and following a vegetarian diet (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.48–0.73; p Conclusion Less than half of the study participants had a good awareness level of CRC signs and symptoms. Future education interventions are needed to improve public awareness of CRC in Palestine.

Excessive ethanol consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing health complications, especially in individuals with pre-existing thrombocytopenia and cirrhosis. Here, we describe a case of a patient with a history of alcoholic cirrhosis, hypertension, and thrombocytopenia, presenting with significant decline following an incidence of binge drinking. Radiography identified a large non-lobar intraparenchymal hemorrhage. However, due to severe thrombocytopenia that was unresponsive to platelet therapy, the possibility of pursuing any form of surgical intervention was negated. Surgical contraindication and a lack of response to subsequent medical management contributed to the family’s decision to opt for conservative medical treatment and comfort care. This case showcases the potential for liver cirrhosis in the setting of chronic alcohol use disorder to pave the way for terminal intracerebral hemorrhage.

Digital Transformation becomes an essential strategy for organisations in this new digital arena, specifically after the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented effects on the whole world and the manufacturing sector. In this new digital era, consumers became more expert and more engaging in the products using new technologies. At the same time, companies began to adopt digital transformation strategies in their manufacturing processes to become more agile and give the most value to their customers in fierce competition. This paper aims to identify and model the main challenges that face the digital transformation process in the manufacturing industry.. The main challenges were categorized to four main areas: skills, adoption of new technologies, change management practices, and innovation initiatives. By identifying these challenges, in a new and incremental way, manufacturing organisations will be able to adopt digital transformation processes efficiently and effectively in a proper manner. © 2021 The authors and IOS Press.

Although digital transformation has been extensively researched in recent years, there is no clear definition, especially in the manufacturing industry. In addition, there is no oblivious model for the current manufacturing firms to be digitally transformed. As a part of a current research project, this paper proposes a framework for the digital transformation process in the manufacturing industry to be used and applied by various firms, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The proposed framework combines the four main aspects of Digital transfroamtion in an integrated way. These four areas are Peaple, Strategy and Leadership, Business Processes, Enabling Technologies and Tools. The framework balances between the management and technological aspects of Digital Transformation implementation inside the manufacturing organisation.

The digitalization has become a leading trend for developing a stable economy through industry and firm digital transformation. However, there is no unified recipe for the successful implementation of these technologies. This work aims to define Critical Success Factors of digitalization for the manufacturing industry and compare them with Kazakhstani conditions. The methodology is based on the literature review and survey of stakeholders. This paper presents the concept of critical success factors identification and defines the necessity of further research.

The implementation of digital transformation features is highly required to provide sustainable growth and a high level of competitiveness. One of the essential components of the ensuring of SMEs readiness for digital transformation is a digital maturity model that can assess the maturity level based on the features of SMEs in Kazakhstan. This study is focused on the development of digital maturity and readiness model for Kazakhstan SMEs by revision of currently existing digital maturity models, defining the significant features of SMEs in Kazakhstan and developing dimensions, sub-dimensions and levels of the model. The proposed model consists of 6 dimensions and 15 sub-dimensions that are sufficient to assess major dimensions involved in digital transformation. The six layers are used to define the level of digital readiness. The developed model was validated through a survey conducted among 12 managers of the company with approximately 150 employees. The model allowed identifying significant areas for improvement and provided the recommendations for movement to the next maturity level.

With the evolving of Industry 4.0 in the 21st century, digitalization gains popularity in companies, because it is a need that makes the company competitive and optimizes the work. Many factors influence the company and its transformation, especially in large companies, for example, financial situation, organizational culture, employees and their skills and talents, technology, and strategy. Based on these factors, models are developed to assess the digital readiness and maturity of the company. As a result of a comprehensive review of different models and current situations in large Kazakhstani companies, the model was developed and described together with the results of the model which was applied in different companies.

The Study amid to Reveal the Personality Types and their Relationship with Depression among teachers in local schools in Amman. The descriptive and analytical approach was used through a sample of (135) male and female teachers in public schools in Amman. The Eysenck personality scale and the Beck scale for depression were used. Depression and there are no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α = 0.05) between personality types and depression among teachers due to gender. Statistically significant differences at the significance level (α = 0.05) between personality styles and depression among teachers due to job experience. The study recommended the necessity of giving a prominent role to social, cultural, media and educational institutions that can carry out an educational aspect to reduce unacceptable behavior patterns.

Background and study aim: The treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC) has been revolutionized by using novel direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Transient elastography (TE) and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) are simple and convenient diagnostic tools for the assessment of liver fibrosis. This study was designed to evaluate liver fibrosis by using TE and APRI before and one year after a full course of DAAs therapy in cases with CHC infection. Patients and methods: TE and APRI were measured before treatment and one year after a full course of DAAs therapy in a prospective study of 82 CHC cases. All candidates with CHC infection were genotype 4. TE was measured by Fibroscan and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was considered reliable if 10 successful LSM had been obtained with a success rate (SR) ≥ 60% and interquartile range (IQR)

Background: An outbreak of respiratory illness that was first reported in Wuhan, China, in later 2019 was caused by a novel coronavirus, officially named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study reports a case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) reactivation in Saudi Arabia. Case Presentation: A 61-year-old male who was a known case of bronchial asthma and was also a confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 presented at the emergency department. The patient was discharged after 3 days with marked improvement. After 14 days of discharge, the patient presented again as a case of reactivation with COVID symptoms, which was controlled with nebulization, anticoagulant, and antibiotics. Conclusion: The present case proves that those with asymptomatic infection may still carry the virus, which means that there is a risk of reactivation. This presents a new challenge for the management of home isolation and quarantine period.

Although tick-borne pathogens have been widely reported in ticks in China, there is little information available on the prevalence of information in Hyalomma ticks from cattle. This study aims to determine the occurrence of pathogens in Hyalomma anatolicum collected from cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, by PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s., Rickettsia massiliae and Anaplasma bovis were identified, whereas DNA of Ehrlichia species and an Anaplasma platys-like pathogen were also detected. Our findings highlight the risk of infection of animals and humans with these pathogens in north-western China.

Machine Learning (ML) is one significant subfield of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that impacts most of today’s industries. This research is part of a broader research project that investigates enquiring creativity in machine learning versus the human design processes. The research aims at developing a computational model that evaluates architectural designs using machine learning algorithms, to fulfill project goal of investigating the computer’s ability to generate architectural designs. Two ML algorithms were trained with a set of design drawings along with their own evaluation. Three evaluation criteria are identified; Spaces’ orientation, functional zoning, and usability of area. Each design case is accompanied by a given evaluation; the evaluation is set by practitioner architects per each criterion. To train the ML algorithm, a custom-built drafting tool was developed, the drafting tool accepts a given architectural plan design drawn on an evaluation grid. Each architectural plan drawing is identified in terms of classes that represent space uses. The tool then scans the grid in order to extract the features related to each of the evaluation criteria. Within this research paper the two algorithms were trained with a dataset of 15 architectural designs, and then tested with five test cases that include the five possible grades. Results showed that both ML algorithms have learning curves, and that one algorithm is significantly better than the other in learning the three grading criteria. This research serves a long-term objective to implement ML in generating designs with specified qualities.

Digital transformation is one of the most evolving areas both in the research literature and in industrial applications. No doubt that this process will be crucial in the survival of any manufacturing organisation in the future, especially during the current COVID-19 crisis. This paper aims to present a review of the concept in the manufacturing industry through the literature currently available on the topic. The literature was classified, and the results of each study were analysed. From this review, six critical findings have been identified in this paper. First, this paper proposes a definition of Digital Transformation and its concept development in the manufacturing industry. Moreover, significant challenges that exist in the manufacturing industry in the implementation of the digital transformation process have been classified as well as the major enabling technologies that help to implement the Digital Transformation. Finally, the benefits of implementing Digital Transformation in the manufacturing industry and its impact on the manufacturing ecosystem have been highlighted. Following a comprehensive review of the literature, future research directions are formulated to identify abundant research opportunities.

Piroplasmosis, a disease of domestic and wild animals, is caused by tick-borne protozoa in the genera of Theileria and Babesia. There is limited information available about the prevalence of piroplasmosis in ticks in China, and to assess the potential threat of piroplasmosis in China, we investigated the infections of ovine and bovine Babesia and Theileria species in ticks collected from cattle, yaks, sheep, horses, and camels in several regions of China where tick-borne diseases have been reported. In total, 652 ticks were collected from the animals in 6 provinces of China. Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected with a PCR-RLB method and identified by sequencing. Overall, 157 ticks (24.1%) were infected with 5 Babesia and 4 Theileria species. Among tested tick samples, 134 (20.6%) were single infections with 1 of 7 piroplasm species, with Theileria annulata (118/652, 18.1%) being dominant. Only 23 (3.5%) tick samples were double or triple infected, Theileria luwenshuni and Theileria sinensis (18/652, 2.8%) were frequently observed in co-infections. Some piroplasm species were carried by ticks that were not previously reported to be vectors.

Cellular senescence is accompanied by dramatic changes in chromatin structure and gene expression. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants lacking telomerase (tlc1Δ) to model senescence, we found that with critical telomere shortening, the telomere-binding protein Rap1 (repressor activator protein 1) relocalizes to the upstream promoter regions of hundreds of new target genes. The set of new Rap1 targets at senescence (NRTS) is preferentially activated at senescence, and experimental manipulations of Rap1 levels indicate that it contributes directly to NRTS activation. A notable subset of NRTS includes the core histone-encoding genes; we found that Rap1 contributes to their repression and that histone protein levels decline at senescence. Rap1 and histones also display a target site-specific antagonism that leads to diminished nucleosome occupancy at the promoters of up-regulated NRTS. This antagonism apparently impacts the rate of senescence because underexpression of Rap1 or overexpression of the core histones delays senescence. Rap1 relocalization is not a simple consequence of lost telomere-binding sites, but rather depends on the Mec1 checkpoint kinase. Rap1 relocalization is thus a novel mechanism connecting DNA damage responses (DDRs) at telomeres to global changes in chromatin and gene expression while driving the pace of senescence.

Sensitive and specific diagnostic method for rapid and simultaneous detection and discrimination of the different species is needed for an effective control of piroplasmosis. Here, a reverse line blot (RLB) assay was developed for piroplasm detection. A general pair of primer based on 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was used to amplify V4 region of 18S rRNA gene. General and specific probes for 13 piroplasm species were cited from previous publications or designed according to the alignment of 18S rRNA gene sequences. For sensitivity test of RLB assay, serially diluted plasmids of the different species were used to access the sensitivity of the RLB. Four hundred and fifty tick samples collected from grass from different provinces of China were then detected. The result indicated that the RLB assay is highly specific and sensitive, detecting up to 10(2) copies/μl of recombinant plasmid DNA. Multiple piroplasms were detected as single or mixed infection from tick species. Eight piroplasm species, most of which were Theileria annulata (33/450, 7.3 %) or Babesia sp. Xinjiang (30/450, 6.7 %), were found to infect with 89 tick samples in four tick species; no infections with Babesia major, Babesia ovata, Babesia bigemina, Theileria sergenti, or Theileria equi were detected. The piroplasms species-specific RLB assay may have potential clinical application in the simultaneous detection and differentiation of Babesia and Theileria species.

Background Babesiosis is an important haemoparasitic disease, caused by the infection and subsequent intra-erythrocytic multiplication of protozoa of the genus Babesia that impacts the livestock industry and animal health. The distribution, epidemiology and genetic characterization of B. bigemina, B. bovis, and B. ovata in cattle in China as well as the prevalence of these protozoan agents were assessed. Methods A total of 646 blood specimens from cattle, dairy cattle and yaks from 14 provinces were collected and tested for the presence of the three Babesia species via a specific nested PCR assay based on the rap-1 and ama-1 genes. The PCR results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Gene sequences and the genetic characterization were determined for selected positive samples from each sampling area. Results Of a total of 646 samples, 134 (20.7 %), 60 (9.3 %) and 10 (1.5 %) were positive for B. bovis, B. bigemina and B. ovata infections, respectively. Mixed infections were found in 7 of 14 provinces; 43 (6.7 %) samples were infected with B. bovis and B. bigemina. Three samples (0.5 %) exhibited a co-infection with B. bovis and B. ovata, and 6 (0.9 %) were infected with all three parasites. The rap-1a gene of B. bovis indicated a high degree of sequence heterogeneity compared with other published rap-1a sequences worldwide and was 85–100 % identical to B. bovis rap-1a sequences in Chinese isolates. B. bigemina rap-1c and B. ovata ama-1 genes were nearly identical, with 97.8–99.3 % and 97.8–99.6 % sequence identity, respectively, in GenBank. Conclusions Positive rates of B. bovis and B. bigemina infection are somewhat high in China. The B. bovis infection in yaks was first reported. The significant sequence heterogeneity in different variants of the rap-1a gene from Chinese B. bovis isolates might be a great threat to the cattle industry if RAP-1a protein is used as immunological antigen against Babesia infections in China. The data obtained in this study can be used to plan effective control strategies against babesiosis in China. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1110-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bone marrow harbors a population of tissue-committed stem cells that are CD34+/CXCR4+. These potential cardiac progenitors which express cardiac and endothelial markers may contribute to cardiac regeneration. The ability of injured myocardium to recruit extracardiac stem cells after injury would be beneficial to aid in myocardial repair and regeneration. The aim of this study was to answer the question whether acute myocardial infarction (AMI) related stress may trigger the increase of CD34/CXCR4+ stem cells number in peripheral blood in response to myocardial ischemic injury which might be accompanied with increased release of this population of stem cells in peripheral blood as well as to correlate this phenomenon with other clinical and laboratory parameters such as diabetes, chest pain, smoking, streptokinase administration and elevated cardiac enzymes. The study was conducted on 25 newly diagnosed AMI patients who attended the emergency department of National Heart Institute. They were compared to a control group of 25 apparently healthy sex and age matched individuals. The percentage of CD34+ cells as well as percentage of cells coexpressing CD34/CXCR4+ and their expression intensity were assessed by Flowcytometery. These parameters were correlated to other laboratory and clinical data. The absolute CD34+ as well as the CD34/CXCR4+ cell counts were significantly higher in patients upon admission in comparison to control group (P0.01). While CD34 expression was significantly higher in patients compared to control group, CXCR4 expression on CD34+ cells was significantly lower in patients than control group (P0.05). Diabetes, duration of chest pain and streptokinase administration had no significant effect on CD34/CXCR4+ number or the expression intensity of both markers (p0.05). Otherwise, CXCR4 intensity was lower in non-smoker than smoker patients (P0.05). Patients admitted with normal cardiac enzymes, including Creatine Kinase (CK) and Creatine Kinase MB fraction (CK-MB) activity, showed no significant difference in CD34/CXCR4+ number or the expression intensity of CD34 marker in comparison to those admitted with high levels of enzymes (P0.05). However, the expression intensity of CXCR4 was significantly low in patients admitted with elevated cardiac enzymes (P0.05). In conclusion, there is a pool of CD34/CXCR4+ stem cells circulating in large number in peripheral blood of AMI patients post infarction together with low CXCR4 expression on these cells which are likely to contribute to myocardial repair following the acute ischemic injury.

This study deals with joy in the light of the Quran and indications of the verses and their guides. with reference to humanistic studies. Man is created with emotions. and joy is one of these emotions. Man by his nature is unbalanced towards these emotions, thus Islam cares to control them and direct them to do their positive role in man's life. The study shows that there are three kinds of joy. First, that which is desired; it deals with religious matters. it has good forms, and its effects are positive. Second, that which is dispraised; it comes from misled groups that are Jewish, hypocrite, unbeliever, and inferior. The researcher showed many examples of this kind and explained their negative effects. Third. that which is legitimate; it is harmonized with the normal human being. The researcher mentioned that caution should be exercised concerning this kind because leniency in its regard may lead to undesirable results. The researcher concluded that the Quran has a distinct manner in dealing with emotions in terms of ruling. controlling. and guiding. There are some common factors between the Quran and claims of some philosophical schools and psychology about the matter. This study is considered an applied trial for objective explanation.

The reliability, reproducibility and accuracy of in-vivo measurements are of great importance and have to be thoroughly studied and to a great extend achieved. Reproducibility problems may result from the electronic components of the applied devices and the variability of measured variables as well as noise sources. The inaccuracy is caused by the approximation in the calculations or the used methods and by diverse sources of errors resulting from the subject under considerations and its surroundings. In sensible measurement like blood components, the positioning of the measuring sensor as well as the variation in the applied pressure and the characteristics of contact area between sensor and skin have a great effect on the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements. The ambient noise like high frequency and line frequency (50 or 60 Hz) noise can be filtered by the detected biosignals like Photoplethysmogram (PPG) using the conventional analog or digital filters without a great effort. The motion artifact of the subject caused by him as well as by physical motion of body parts or by the surrounding has a varying frequency which may have the same range of the signal frequency. It is difficult to filter noise from these signals, and errors resulting from filtering can distort them. Usually physicians are misled by these noisy signals and the analysis can go wrong. An adaptive filter is essential by biosignal and bio-image processing for noise cancellation without destroying or manipulating the valuable detected information. Biomedical signals such as photoplethysmogram (PPG) (Figure 1), electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyogram (EMG) and impedance cardiogram (ICG) are very important in the diagnosis of different pathological variations. By the detection of these bio-signals as well as by the further derived parameters like oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter, the motion artifact is a great challenge, which may lead to erroneous results or even no results can be delivered [Lee]. The effectiveness of ECG monitors can be significantly impaired by motion artifact, which can cause misdiagnoses, lead to inappropriate treatment decisions or trigger false alarms. However, it is difficult to separate the noise from bio-signal due to its frequency spectrum overlapping that of the ECG. A portable ECG recorder using accelerometer based on motion artifact removal technique will be a great help for patients for tele-homecare or ambulatory ECG monitoring.

By developing a non-invasive device for glucose concentration measurement, two promising methods were compared for that aim. The Raman scattering using Laser at the wavelength 785 nm and the light scattering in R- and IR-range are demonstrated. An easy accessible and low-cost method for glucose concentration monitoring and management to avoid its complications will be a great help for diabetic patients. Raman Scattering is a promising method for noninvasively measuring of glucose and for the diagnostic of pathological tissue variations. Despite the power and the time of measurement can be reduced using enhanced Raman scattering, it will be difficult to develop a compatible device with low power Laser and low price for a non-invasive method for home monitoring. As using IR-spectroscopy at wavelengths slightly below 10000 nm, the absorption of glucose can be well discriminated from that of water, LED`s or LD´s at these wavelengths are very expensive for this purpose. At wavelengths about 6250 and 7700 glucose has a less light absorption than water. Also slightly above 3000 nm glucose has a high absorption. There are also possibilities for the measurement in the NIR at wavelengths between 1400 nm and 1670 nm. Scattering measurements at wavelengths below 900 nm and our measurements with the wavelength about 640 nm give reproducible glucose dependence on the reflected light from a glucose solution at a constant temperature. A multi-sensor with different wavelengths and temperature sensor will be a good choice for in-vivo glucose monitoring.

Based on the optical methods, it could be able to identify the concentrations of the hemoglobin fractions in a few seconds. An array of Light Emitting Diodes "LEDs" with different wavelengths and a photo detector were used to detect the transmitted or reflected light intensities. A system of equations was built according to the modified Lambert-Beer Law to be solved as an inverse problem. Typically practical inverse problems are all ill-posed. Even well-posed problems may be unstable or ill-conditioned when they digitalized. Also, applications in tissue spectroscopy and optical imaging result in an ill-posed problems. The difficulties involved in solving ill-posed systems are known, where large changes in the solution result from small perturbations in the right hand members of the system that can be caused by measurement tolerance or noise. A good numerical method to solve it may be beneficial in the applications to the optimization problems including linear programming and nonlinear programming. To account for the sensitivity to noise, a regularization method is usually applied to solve this sort of ill-posed problem, where a suitable regularized parameter is used to depress the bias in the computed solution by a better balance of approximation error and propagated data error. The Method has better computational efficiency and accuracy even for the highly ill-conditioned linear equations with a large disturbance on the given data. Comparing the results with that obtained from a direct solution of the system of equations, we prove well-posedness, stability and convergence of the method. The estimated hemoglobin fractions were highly correlated to the reference laboratory measurements.

This paper describes the development of an early detection method for probing pathological tissue variations. The method could be used for classifying various tissue alteration namely tumors tissue or skin disorders. The used approach is based on light scattering and absorption spectroscopy. Spectral content of the scattered light provides diagnostic information about the tissue contents. The importance of this method is using a safe light that has less power than the used in the imaging methods that will enable the frequent examination of tissue, while the exiting modalities have drawbacks like ionization, high cost, time-consuming, and agents' usage. A modality for mapping the oxygen saturation distribution in tissues noninvasively is new in this area of research, since this study focuses on the oxygen molecule in the tissue which supposed to be homogenously distributed through the tissues. Cancers may cause greater vascularization and greater oxygen consumption than in normal tissue. Therefore, oxygen existence and homogeneity will be alternated depending on the tissue state. In the proposed system, the signal was extracted after illuminating the tissue by light emitting diodes (LED's) that emits light in two wavelengths, red (660 nm) and infrared (880 nm). The absorption in these wavelengths is mainly due to oxyhemoglobin (HbO 2 ) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) while other blood and tissue contents nearly have low effect on the signal. The backscattered signal which is received by a photodiodes array (128 PDs) was measured and processed using LabVIEW. Photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals have been measured at different locations. These signals will be used to differentiate between the normal and the pathological tissues. Variations in hemoglobin concentration and blood perfusion will also be used as an important indication feature for this purpose.

High performance biosignal preparation for the noninvasive diagnosis of diseases or calculation of physiological parameters is a very important task. High resolution and high signal noise ratio have to be achieved by the hardware design using a high resolution ADC and a PGA with the desired filters. After the detection of the signals by the calculation units (MC, DSP and PC) the signal conditioning will be continued. When the signal is measured, it is subjected to noise of different sources that has to be canceled at the first step. The motion artifacts by photoplethysmogm (PPG) are very difficult to eliminate with conventional filters. The frequency of the resulting noise signal has the same range of that of the PPG signal. Therefore, we use an adaptive filter using least mean square method (LMS) for this purpose. The second stage is the extraction of the distinctive features or characteristics of the filtered signal. One of the parameters values is the detection of peaks and valleys of the PPG signal. These parameters are used for the calculation of the heart rate, oxygen saturation and the hemoglobin concentration. Also other features like notch, the rise time from valley to peak and form of PPG have to be classified for the diagnostic of cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes an adaptive filter and a reliable peak and valley detection method used by the multisensor developed for monitoring of vital parameters and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. The proposed algorithms were applied to different PPG signals as will be discussed in the results.

Till now, there is no available device which can measure the total hemoglobin (THb) concentration and the fractional oxygen saturation (SaO2) noninvasively. Finger, earlobe, nose bridge clamp and forehead sensors have been already used to monitor the functional oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin. Earlobe sensor has a lot of advantages that make it attractive for measuring the hemoglobin concentration and the SaO2. The structure of earlobe enables the application of the theoretical discipline with smaller errors. This may enable the calculation of other blood constituents like glucose. Less disturbance of the patient is achieved for monitoring. In cases of low perfusion, the pulse wave velocity will be affected and the time delay problem will be appeared. But the time delay for the earlobe sensor will be stay smaller than the finger sensor. For motion artifact effect in ambulance overcoming, an adaptive filter is used for reliable measurements. The effect of the motion artifact on the earlobe sensor will be also smaller than on the finger sensor. For long time monitoring and for home use the earlobe sensor consumes less power than the finger sensor. Available reformed light emitting diodes (LEDs) with different wavelengths and especially in the infrared region, where the light absorption of tissue is too high, can be applied by the earlobe clip. The noninvasive measurements are based on the Photoplethysmography (PPG) signal which will be studied for the earlobe and the finger sensors under various conditions using Lambert Beer Law (LBL). The difficulties related to the calculations will be also discussed. The study reported that the earlobe sensor can be a suitable sensor under various conditions to calculate the THb concentration and SaO2.

Indeed, special emphasis is put on the optical methods as an aid tool to measure the total hemoglobin (THb) concentration which is one of the most frequently ordered laboratory measurements. The estimation approach is considered the cornerstone of those methods. We propose a new intelligent approach based on a fuzzy expert system that depends on Wang-Mendel method to generate a fuzzy rule-base. Real input-output data pairs were accurately measured to build that rule-based system, where each pair represents a different expected case. The inputs were six values of the light intensity with different wavelengths that were measured by the optical stage of a new THb concentration measuring device and also the value of the oxygen saturation (SpO2). The output values are measurements of the total hemoglobin concentration of an accurate reference laboratory. The capabilities of the developed fuzzy expert system are tested for estimating the total hemoglobin concentration over a wide range of cases by means of the root mean square (RMS) error and the correlation values. The RMS error’s value was 1.24 g/dl and the correlation value was 0.977 which indicated that the estimated THb concentrations using the proposed approach were highly correlated to the reference laboratory measurements.

In addition to the perilous pitfall of pulse oximeter which is its disability to detect carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (metHb) concentrations, other shortcomings of pulse oximetry are also cumbersome or even dangerous. A finger probe for example will not be able to show a result at very low perfusion of tissues. This case is available when the patient is under shock or has a low blood pressure. Finger sensor, ear clip, nose bridge clamp and forehead sensor are used by monitoring oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. Some of the pitfalls of the standard pulse oximetry can be avoided using the appropriate sensor for the case under consideration. After an introduction in pulse oximetry we will show in this article the differences between these sensors mainly used by this valuable technique. Plethysmogram signal, which is an important measured variable by this in-vivo method, will be studied from three sensors under various conditions. Also the time delay which is a vital parameter by detection of oxygen saturation will be considered. The difficulties by the calculations of fractional hemoglobin concentrations using the different sensors will be discussed before the advantages and shortcomings of each sensor and the possible enhancement will be shown. At the end a decision will be taken to choose the suitable sensor for the calculation of hemoglobin concentration and its fractional oxygen saturation by our used method.

A hazardous pitfall among the deficiencies of currently used pulse oximeter is that carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (metHb) concentrations can not be detected. This leads to erroneous measurement of oxygen saturation in case of carbon monoxide poisoning and methemoglobinemia. Also the total hemoglobin concentration - which can only be measured in-vitro up to now - will not be considered. Another pitfall of transmission pulse oximetry is that it will not be able to give any result for low perfusion of tissue. To overcome these shortcomings a new non-invasive reflectance pulse hemometer is designed to measure the hemoglobin concentration and the actual oxygen saturation (SaO2) considering the concentrations of COHb and metHb. Light emitting sources with different wavelengths and a photodiode (PD) as a light detector are used. We will show in this article the signal processing of the reflected light detected by the photodiode using a modified Lambert-Beer law. A brief comparison with other possible methods like photon diffusion theory will also be given. The sensor has to be applied primarily at forehead or at other better perfused locations of the body. First measurements with this sensor have shown promising results for this non-invasive method to detect hypoxia “whatever its causes” and anemia even in case of low tissue perfusion.

Deficiencies of the currently used pulse oximeter are discussed in diverse literature. A hazardous pitfalls of this method is that the pulse oximeter will not detect carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (metHb) concentrations. This leads to incorrect measurement of oxygen saturation by carbon monoxide poisoning and methemoglobinemia. Also the total hemoglobin concentration w ill not be considered and can only be measured in-vitro up to now. A second pitfall of the standard pulse oximetry is that it will not be able to show a result by low perfusion of tissues. This case is available inter alia when the patient is under shock or has a low blood pressure. The new non-invasive system we designed measures the actual (fractional) oxygen saturation and hemoglobin concentration. It will enable us also to measure COHb and me tHb. The measurement can be applied at better perfused central parts of the body. Four or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs) and five photodiodes (PDs) are used. The reflected light signal detected by photodiodes is processed using a modified Lambert-Beer law (I I

Il contributo contiene il resoconto dello stato di avanzamento di una ricerca e azione nel quadro di un accordo tra l'Università di Palermo e del Cairo per la realizzazione di un Master di secondo livello Italia Egitto e di ricerca sui temi del turismo relazionale integrato.

Il principio della «sostenibilità scientifico-culturale» formulato dai promotori del «Turismo Relazionale Integrato» (TRI) legittima la pedagogia come interlocutrice dei temi interdisciplinari rilevati in questo programma di sviluppo. La nostra epoca post-moderna, infatti, nel presentare i temi e gli obiettivi relativi allo sviluppo delle società che si affacciano sul Mediterraneo, deve invocare l’apporto di molte discipline scientifiche, cosicché la riflessione generale inerente al TRI si configuri come giustapposizione di diversi livelli integrati del discorso scientifico, che esprimono il valore dell’oggetto preso in esame, spiegato esaustivamente dalle sue componenti semantiche “integrate” (ambientale, economico-finanziaria, sociale, giuridica, politica), più immediatamente tangibili e controllabili, e insieme dalle componenti relazionali “profonde” (psicologica, pedagogica ed etica) che lo fondano. Così inteso, lo stile di razionalità proprio del TRI istituisce un discorso scientifico specifico che studia con una logica specifica ogni aspetto specifico dell’oggetto preso in esame. Lo sguardo pedagogico, attento all’intera persona — così si giustifica il legame che tiene insieme pedagogia e antropologia filosofica (integrale) —, dà ragioni fondanti alla sostenibilità sociale ed umana per ridare il giusto valore, nello sviluppo territoriale, alle relazioni umane fra singoli e tra comunità in una nuova ottica di consapevolezza, di rispetto reciproco e di salvaguardia delle diversità culturali (cooperazione contro competizione) e per riportare l’uomo (la persona umana) al centro delle politiche e delle iniziative dei processi di produzione e consumo (approccio etico). The principle of "scientific-cultural sustainability" formulated by the promoters of the "Integrated Relational Tourism" (TRI) legitimizes pedagogy as interlocutor of interdisciplinary topics found in this development program. Infact, our postmodern era, by presenting the themes and objectives of the development of societies facing the Mediterranean, must count on contribution of many sciences, so that the TRI-related reflection is set up as a juxtaposition of several integrated levels of scientific discourse that express the value of the object being studied, comprehensively explained by its "integrated" semantic components (environmental, economic, financial, social, juridical, political), more immediately tangible and controllable, and by "deep" relational components (psychological, pedagogical and ethical) that base it. If the TRI style of rationality is understood in this way, it establishes a specific scientific discourse that studies with a specific logic every specific aspect of the subject being examined. The pedagogical point of view, attentive to the whole person ⸻ thus justifying the link that holds pedagogy and philosophical anthropology (integral) ⸻ gives reasons for social and human sustainability to give proper value, in the territorial development, to human relationships between individuals and communities in a new optics of awareness, mutual respect and safeguarding of cultural diversity (co-operation against competition); and to bring back man (the human person) to the center of policies and initiatives of production and consumption processes (ethical approach).