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The Spatiotemporal variability of air quality is influenced by various factors over time. The objectives of this research are to create prediction models for Carbon monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and determine the factors which that most impact CO and NO2 monthly using Random Forest Prediction. The methodology relies on Random Forest Prediction to predict air quality monthly in 2021, incorporating eight variables land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), built-up index (BU index), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), digital elevation model (DEM), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), and wind direction (WD). The results indicate that RH, elevation, WD, and LST are the most significant factors influencing CO concentrations, representing 33%, 24%, 12%, and 10% respectively at annual level in 2021. Similarly, WD, WS, RH, elevation and LST are the most importance factors impacting NO2 concentrations, representing 24%, 21%, 18%, 12%, and 10% respectively at an annual level in 2021. Furthermore, NDBI and BU index had the lowest impact in on both CO and NO2, with BU index showing a slightly higher percentage in NO2 models compared to CO models. Regarding cross-validation, the MAE values in CO models range from 0.11 to 0.18, and the RMSE values range from 0.14 to 0.23. Additionally, the MAE values in NO2 models ranges from 3.78 to 7.30, and RMSE values range from 4.93 to 9.23.

This review is aimed at exploring the use of remote sensing technology with a focus on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in monitoring and management of palm pests and diseases with a special focus on date palms. It highlights the most common sensor types, ranging from passive sensors such as RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal as well as active sensors such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR), expounding on their unique functions and gains as far as the detection of pest infestation and disease symptoms is concerned. Indices derived from UAV multispectral and hyperspectral sensors are used to assess their usefulness in vegetation health monitoring and plant physiological changes. Other UAVs are equipped with thermal sensors to identify water stress and temperature anomalies associated with the presence of pests and diseases. Furthermore, the review discusses how LiDAR technology can be used to capture detailed 3D canopy structures as well as volume changes that may occur during the progressing stages of a date palm infection. Besides, the paper examines how machine learning algorithms have been incorporated into remote sensing technologies to ensure high accuracy levels in detecting diseases or pests. This paper aims to present a comprehensive outline for future research focusing on modern methodologies, technological improvements, and direction for the efficient application of UAV-based remote sensing in managing palm tree pests and diseases.

This study aims to shed light on a group of archaeological artifacts in the As-Salt Archaeological Museum found during an archaeological excavation in Tell Al-Ja3du3r. The most important result of this study is that the pottery found in Tell Al-Ja3du3r belongs to the EBIV, specifically to the Amman-Zarqa family. As a result, a new site can be added to the sites of the Amman-Zarqa pottery family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on recently discovered Safaitic inscriptions from the Jordanian Badia during the Badia Epigraphic Survey Project (BES), potentially referencing the historical figures King Aretas IV and his son King Malichus II. Drawing from the OCIANA database, which categorizes inscriptions mentioning or related to the Nabataeans or their rulers, these inscriptions have been meticulously studied and scrutinized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review is aimed at exploring the use of remote sensing technology with a focus on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in monitoring and management of palm pests and diseases with a special focus on date palms. It highlights the most common sensor types, ranging from passive sensors such as RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal as well as active sensors such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR), expounding on their unique functions and gains as far as the detection of pest infestation and disease symptoms is concerned. Indices derived from UAV multispectral and hyperspectral sensors are used to assess their usefulness in vegetation health monitoring and plant physiological changes. Other UAVs are equipped with thermal sensors to identify water stress and temperature anomalies associated with the presence of pests and diseases. Furthermore, the review discusses how LiDAR technology can be used to capture detailed 3D canopy structures as well as volume changes that may occur during the progressing stages of a date palm infection. Besides, the paper examines how machine learning algorithms have been incorporated into remote sensing technologies to ensure high accuracy levels in detecting diseases or pests. This paper aims to present a comprehensive outline for future research focusing on modern methodologies, technological improvements, and direction for the efficient application of UAV-based remote sensing in managing palm tree pests and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alveolar bone crest level is essential in determining the need for bone removal in subjects with altered passive eruption (APE). This study assessed the validity of CBCT and transgingival probing in determining the alveolar bone crest level. Patients presenting with APE were assessed. Transgingival probing was performed to clinically assess the distance between the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) and the bone crest at the midpoint of the maxillary anterior teeth. CBCT was used to assess this distance at the same point. Upon reflection of a full mucoperiosteal flap, the actual distance was measured. Similar actual and CBCT measurements of the distance between the CEJ and bone crest at teeth 13, 22, and 23 (FDI numbering system) were recorded (P > .05). However, in teeth 11, 12, and 21, the distance was significantly greater on CBCT scans (P < .05). No significant difference was detected between transgingival probing and the actual distance at all teeth assessed. Careful transgingival probing provides an accurate measure of the distance between the CEJ and bone crest. CBCT gives an accurate estimate, though it may not be justified for each patient in the presence of safer methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omar F Altal,1 Ahmed H Al Sharie,2 Yazan O Al Zu’bi,2 Saif Aldin Rawabdeh,3 Wasim Khasawneh,3 Tamara Dawaymeh,2 Haneen Tashtoush,2 Rawan Obeidat,1 Omar M Halalsheh4 1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 2Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 4Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, JordanCorrespondence: Omar F AltalDepartment of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, P. O. Box: 3030, Irbid, 22110, JordanTel +962797423400Fax +962 2 7201064Email altal_omar@yahoo.comObjective: The aim of this study is to compare the respiratory neonatal outcomes utilizing antenatal dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) versus a mixture of betamethasone dipropionate and betamethasone sodium phosphate (B-DP/SP) for preterm births.Patients and Methods: All neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions for prematurity were retrospectively identified at our center in the period between September 2016 and September 2018. Pregnant women expected to give preterm birth and received steroid injections whether it is DSP or B-DP/SP were included in the study. Maternal and obstetrical data along with the corresponding respiratory neonatal outcomes were extracted and analyzed. The population was categorized according to the gestational age into extremely preterm (less than 28 weeks), very preterm (28 up to 32 weeks) and moderate or late preterm (32 up to 37 weeks) in which the repository outcomes were compared in each sub-group.Results: A total of 650 premature neonates were included in the analysis. B-DP/SP illustrated a significant reduction in the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) among moderate or late preterm neonates (P = 0.003) compared to DSP. In contrast, a non-significant difference was observed between B-DP/SP and DSP regarding apnea of prematurity and transient tachypnea of the newborn. The number of neonates developed chronic lung disease has been remarkably reduced when using DSP in extremely (P = 0.038) and very (P = 0.046) preterm neonates when compared to B-DP/SP.Conclusion: The dual acting B-DP/SP formulation could possess a significant potential in reducing RDS in moderate or late preterm neonates, while DSP groups exhibit a favorable result in the development of chronic lung disease in extreme and very preterm cohorts. Such findings emphasize the need of further clinical trials, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and cost effectiveness studies to evaluate the durability of these findings.Keywords: antenatal corticosteroids, dexamethasone, betamethasone dipropionate, respiratory distress syndrome, apnea of prematurity

The Spatiotemporal variability of air quality is influenced by various factors over time. The objectives of this research are to create prediction models for Carbon monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and determine the factors which that most impact CO and NO 2 monthly using Random Forest Prediction. The methodology relies on Random Forest Prediction to predict air quality monthly in 2021, incorporating eight variables land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), built-up index (BU index), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), digital elevation model (DEM), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), and wind direction (WD). The results indicate that RH , elevation, WD , and LST are the most significant factors influencing CO concentrations, representing 33%, 24%, 12%, and 10% respectively at annual level in 2021. Similarly, WD, WS, RH , elevation and LST are the most importance factors impacting NO 2 concentrations, representing 24%, 21%, 18%, 12%, and 10% respectively at an annual level in 2021. Furthermore, NDBI and BU index had the lowest impact in on both CO and NO 2 , with BU index showing a slightly higher percentage in NO 2 models compared to CO models. Regarding cross-validation, the MAE values in CO models range from 0.11 to 0.18, and the RMSE values range from 0.14 to 0.23. Additionally, the MAE values in NO 2 models ranges from 3.78 to 7.30, and RMSE values range from 4.93 to 9.23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pediatric colonoscopy is a crucial tool for diagnosing and treating children with colonic diseases. Data from low-volume centers are scarce and, most of the time, not represented in literature. This study aimed to review colonoscopy indications, diagnostic yield, therapeutic interventions, and outcomes in children who underwent a colonoscopy procedure at a university hospital in North Jordan. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on children who underwent colonoscopies between January 2014 and January 2020. Demographic data, procedure indications, and colonoscopy and histopathological findings were collected from patient hospital charts. The appropriateness of colonoscopy indications was judged according to published guidelines. Results: We identified 119 procedures performed in 105 children (females: 39 [37.1%]; mean age: 98.2 ± 51.2 months) in our review. The most common cause for undergoing a colonoscopy procedure was lower gastrointestinal bleeding (55 [46.2%]), followed by chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain (17 [14.3%] and 16 [13.4%], respectively). A normal endoscopy was reported in 50 (42.0%) procedures. The most commonly reported abnormalities were polyps and inflammatory bowel disease. Polypectomies were performed in 21 patients during 26 (21.8%) procedures. Most of the polyps were rectal polyps (15 [71.4%]), and all of them were of juvenile pathology. Appropriate colonoscopy indications were associated with a higher rate of an abnormal endoscopy. Conclusion: Low-volume centers share a similar spectrum of disorders reported by larger centers. Our study found that the most common colonoscopy indications were rectal bleeding and diarrhea, and the most common findings were colonic inflammation and colorectal polyps. Complying with guideline recommendations will improve the diagnostic yield of colonoscopies.

الأهداف : دراسة مدى فاعليّة التّعليم بالتّعلم عن بعد من وجهة نظر طلبة كليّة الإعلام في جامعة اليرموك في ظلّ أزمة كورونا ومستجدّاتها. المنهجية: اعتمدت الدّراسة على المنهج الوصفي المسحي، وتمّ توزيع استبانة مكوّنة من أربعة أبعاد رئيسة هي: التّفاعل، المحتوى، التّقييم، أدوات التعليم عن بعد على عيّنة من (350) طالبًا وطالبةً من طلبة كليّة الإعلام في جامعة اليرموك، تمّ اختيارهم من خلال العشوائيّة الطّبقيّة. النتائج: ظهر أنّ فاعليّة التّعليم بالتّعلم عن بعد في ظلّ انتشار فيروس كورونا على نحو عام كان متوسّطًا، وأنّ أبعاد فاعلية التعليم بالتعلم عن بعد جاءت بدرجة متوسطة وعلى النحو الآتي: أوّلا، التّفاعل، ثانيًا المحتوى، ثالثًا أدوات التّعليم عن بعد، رابعًا التّقييم. التوصيات: وقد أوصت الدراسة بوضع خطط وبرامج ودورات تدريبيّة لكلّ من الطّلّاب والمعلّمين تمكّنهم من التّوجّه نحو التّعليم بالتّعلّم عن بعد على نحو يضمن استمراريته وبصورة أكثر إيجابيّة.

Abstract Background Upper endoscopy is an essential tool for diagnosing pediatric gastrointestinal issues. This study aimed to assess the indications, diagnostic yields, concordance between histopathological and endoscopic findings and suitability of upper endoscopies performed at a tertiary university hospital in Jordan. Methods Hospital records of children who underwent upper endoscopy were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, endoscopic details (e.g., indications, findings and any complications), and histopathological findings were collected. The relationship between endoscopic findings and histopathological abnormalities was reported. Results The study included 778 patients (age, 92.5 ± 54.5 months; 380 girls, 48.8%). The most common age group was children younger than 60 months (273 patients, 34.3%). The most common indication for endoscopy was abdominal pain, followed by vomiting and failure to thrive or weight loss. Normal upper endoscopy was reported in 411 patients (52.8%). Age below 60 months, abdominal pain, dysphagia/odynophagia, and heartburn were predictive of abnormal endoscopy in multivariate analysis with p-value 0.000, 0.048, 0.001 and 0.01 respectively. Abnormal endoscopy showed 67.3% sensitivity and 69.9% specificity to predict histopathological abnormalities. Of those performed, 13.6% endoscopies were described as inappropriate indication. The suitability of the procedure was a sensitive predictor for abnormal endoscopic and histopathological findings. Conclusions Abdominal pain is the most common indication for upper endoscopy in our population. It is associated with a higher chance of abnormal endoscopy. Concordance between endoscopic and histopathological findings is not high. Normal endoscopic findings shouldn`t discourage the endoscopist from obtaining tissue biopsies. Considering more biopsies may improve pathological detection rates. Compliance with established endoscopy guidelines may reduce unnecessary procedures.

This paper investigates the impact of post-purchase user generated content (UGC) and traditional reference groups on the purchase intentions for electronic products (e-products) among young consumers in Jordan. To achieve this, a descriptive methodology was adapted, with a quantitative approach and survey strategy utilizing a five-point Likert scale questionnaire distributed to 450 university and college students in Jordan. 400 filtered and screened copies underwent statistical analyses. SPSS version 21 was utilized to describe and analyze the data. The results revealed a strong impact of post-purchase UGC on purchase intentions of e-products among young consumers. The results also revealed that traditional reference groups have a lower significant impact on the purchase intentions of young consumers, indicating that young consumers rely on online communities more than they rely on family, friends, colleagues, and other social organizations. The findings are discussed with a view to their implications, with recommendations for future research.

Wasim Khasawneh,1 Amer Sindiani,2 Saif Aldeen Rawabdeh,1 Abdelwahhab Aleshawi,3 Dana Kanaan1 1Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JordanCorrespondence: Wasim KhasawnehDepartment of Pediatrics, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, JordanTel +962796041117Fax +96227095777Email wakhasawneh@just.edu.joPurpose: To review the indications and clinical profile of neonatal admissions at King Abdullah University Hospital in Jordan.Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional review of all neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between September 2016 and September 2018. Collected data include demographic characteristics, indications for admission, morbidities and mortality, and discharge outcomes. Findings were reported among term and preterm infants.Results: A total of 1444 infants were admitted during the study period of whom 1332 (92.2%) were inborn and 612 (42.4%) were term neonates. Of the 832 preterm infants, 545 were late preterm (34– 36 6/7 gestation) and 125 had very low birth weight (˂ 1500 grams); 925 (64%) were born by cesarean section. Respiratory failure of the newborn (41.2%) and prematurity (33.3%) were the main indications for admission among the whole cohort. Maternal prolonged premature rupture of membranes (PROM) was observed in nearly half the admissions of term infants. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (3.2% vs 0.7%, p 0.01) and congenital anomalies (5% vs 1.2%, p 0.03) were more common in term infants. The rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was 39% among < 28-week and 28% among < 32-week premature infants. Sepsis was encountered in 59 infants. The overall mortality rate was 3.8%. Prematurity was the main predisposing factor for mortality (Adjusted OR: 9.9, 95% CI: 3.5, 27.6).Conclusion: The majority of neonatal admissions at our institution are term and late preterm infants delivered by cesarean section. Prematurity, respiratory failure of the newborn, and suspected sepsis due to maternal PROM are the leading causes of admission. The mortality rate is within WHO target to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3. Population-based studies are needed to make better conclusions that represent the whole Jordanian population. A revisit for the indications of cesarean deliveries may help to improve the neonatal outcomes.Keywords: neonatal outcomes, Jordan, NICU admissions, neonatal mortality

Petrological, geochemical, and biostratigraphical investigations have been conducted on seventy-nine samples from four selected sections in Jordan to understand the factors that influenced the enrichment and deposition of massive phosphorite deposits. The calcareous nannofossil marker species Broisonia parca constrica and Reticulofenestra bisecta, from the assigned sections 1 and 2 (Hawar and Al Dhahikiyya), were indicative of the Campanian and Eocene periods, respectively. The enrichment of some ecological marker species such as Kamptnerius magnificus indicates that there were cold periods during phosphate precipitation. All thin sections of the phosphate samples are of grainstone and packstone textures and are composed of skeletal fragments and peloids. Skeletal fragments appeared to be the main component of Hawar phosphates with the existence of peloids, while peloids were the component in sections 2 and 3 (section 3: Al Hisa). At least three intervals of high phosphorous values appeared in the Hawar section, showing variations in the Ca and Nd isotopes and in the terrigenous inputs. Four periods of phosphate enrichment are observed in Sections 2 and 3. These are deep water circulation periods of the early and late Campanian period, interrupted by two periods of submarine and continental weathering. Deep water circulation was initiated during cooling in the Campanian period and indicated by high phosphorous and Ca isotope components and a decline in terrigenous indicators (Al, Si, Ti, and Fe). Submarine weathering during warmer deep-sea periods is indicated by a rising Nd isotope ratio when many of the igneous provinces were subjected to weathering. Continental weathering took place in the warmer periods, with the hydrologic cycle and enhancement of terrigenous indicators (Al, Si, Ti, and Fe) being observed. The effect of the hydrologic cycle was at its highest in the south during the Campanian period and in the Eocene, as both represented shallower settings.

The Higher Education within the glob presently a day confront an unused time due to changes within the way individuals see higher education educate. They have achieved numerous add-up to quality profile in terms of quantity and quality at programs and graduate levels in the world. Desires for ways better execution in terms of instructing and creating competent college graduates are expanding. In the meantime, universities strike to expand certain avances at the international level in terms of expanding vertically and horizontally to offer a solid high quality and progressed learning opportunities to satisfy client needs. To achieve this, higher education arrangements higher education policy makers ought to make such an environment in which agencieshas pride in their work and keep up with new developments and changes.

Extracranial rhabdoid tumor is a rare tumor that can originate in multiple organs, and it is most commonly seen in the kidneys. This tumor has a grave prognosis. We report to the best of our knowledge the first case of infantile scalp extracranial rhabdoid tumor in a 6-month-old male baby who presented with a right parietal scalp mass since the age of 1 month. This mass was initially diagnosed as scalp hemangioma based on clinical and imaging findings. However, this mass was growing fast which necessitated excision. Pathologic examination after excision showed a malignant tumor composed of sheets of rhabdoid cells. Immunohistochemically, this tumor tested positive for vimentin, CD 99, glypican-3, synaptopysin, WT-1, CK, and EMA. INI-1 immunostain was lost in the tumor cells. Subsequently, this tumor was pathologically diagnosed as extracranial scalp rhabdoid tumor. After tumor excision, the patient was referred to pediatric oncology to receive chemotherapy. Experience with scalp extracranial rhabdoid tumors is limited. However, this tumor in other organs carries a grave prognosis. Although scalp extracranial rhabdoid tumor is an extremely rare tumor, it should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of infantile scalp masses given the need of combined surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment.

This study aimed to recognize the degree of practicing bullying among the participants and non-participants in the sports activities, the study sample consisted of students of both levels: the basic high level and the secondary level in the schools of education directorate of Al-Teeba and Al-Wasateih in Irbid governorate, who numbered (279) students were chosen randomly, (124) of the gifted students, and who enrolled in all collective and individual sports competitions. Also (155) male and female students who were not enrolled in sports activities, during the second semester of the academic year 2018-2019. To achieve the study’s goals, the researchers adopted the Descriptive Approach through used statistical & analytic methods. as well as the school bullying scale from researchers’ preparation, was used, the study results indicated the following: the degree of practicing the bullying among the students who participated and not participated in the sports activities was moderate. there are statistically significant differences (α≥0.05) due to the effect of gender in the total degree of bullying scale and the differences were in favor of males, and there are statistical significant differences (α≥ 0.05) due to the category in the total degree of bullying scale, and the differences were in favor of non-participants category.

Background: This article aimed to clarify the adequacy of government financial resources toward furnishing the provision of efficient healthcare for fulfilling the health challenges in the light of worse economic scenario in Jordan. Methods: This analytical and prognostic study of healthcare spending in Jordan focuses on the public sectors that finance healthcare. Hence, all the available studies and posted materials in the nearby and global levels were used to analyze the government abilities to proceed with presenting healthcare within the current constraints. Results: Our results revealed that, in any case, the Jordanian government is not organized to proceed or prepared to continue providing health services at the present trend: fast increase in demand over publicly funded services in the absence of efficiency gains. Conclusions: For the healthcare system to be significantly efficient and equitable, the cash burden of contributions ought to be progressive toward preserving long-term sustainability. There is a progressive impact of the reform on healthcare provision and finance systems once the contributor's expenses are used to construct it; however, these findings do not seem to be conclusive.

The classical newsvendor model in economics and decision theory treats losses and gains equally likely. However, decision makers are usually loss-averse as probable losses have more impact on humans than probable gains. This study presents a new variant of the newsvendor problem of loss-averse decision makers. The optimal order quantity is found by maximizing the expected utility of bounded functions. The implications of loss aversion on the certainty equivalents and risk premiums were also analyzed. Two case studies of exponential utility and normal demand were considered. A new elegant form of the optimal order quantity is established. The results show that when exponential loss aversion exists, the newsvendor optimal quantity serves as a lower(upper) bound on the optimal quantities. Moreover, high loss aversion entails higher RP. Similar findings hold by increasing the overage/underage costs and the demand standard deviation. Possible future extensions are demonstrated at the end of the paper.

Wind-farm planning optimization is important for decision-making concerning regional energy planning in developing countries. This process is governed by restrictions on site selection based on land suitability metric variables, wind turbine technology variables, and land-use governing criteria. This study aims to create a framework for land appropriation strategies for locating optimum sites suitable for wind farms. It is using Jordan as an Area of Interest (AOI), where the scope is to illustrate how this framework will employ wind turbine energy to positively enhance the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The methodology employs thirteen GIS thematic layers with a 250-m spatial resolution to substantiate how site-specific criteria, turbine type, and turbine hub height variables are determining factors in the optimal solution. This method involves selecting relevant factors, database construction, data layer generation and preparation, numerical ranking and weighting of each factor, and computation of the potential wind farm locations map by overlaying all the thematic GIS layers. The results showed that the establishment of wind farms would not only meet the AOI’s growing energy needs, rather exceed them to generating income for the developing nation. The results of the feasibility study will boost the national GDP by 3.4%; where, for example, one governorate alone could produce 274.3% of the total required national consumption at a turbine hub height of 50 m. The study attests to a valuable framework that can be implemented elsewhere to establish regional power sustainability and feasibility for other nations. The results show that an added land-use layer indicating the potential value of land in terms of its suitability for establishing wind farms should be considered in future sustainable regional planning studies when considering networks for smart cities, industrial cities, smart agriculture, and new agglomerations.

The carvings presented here were discovered during the second (2017) field season of the Badia Epigraphic Survey (BES), in Wādī Swīʿad, which is located in al-Ḥarrah approximately 34 km to the southeast of aṣ-Ṣafawī (H5) and stretches for 13 km and is approximately 820 meters above sea level. This article presents some examples of Rock Art that appear next to the inscriptions and provide us with two new personal names (grmry and hnʾmt), as well as with new Safaitic verb (ḫwr "he became weak or feeble" and wyl "Woe to!") and the adverb dhr (dahran "forever"). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are among the major threats to urban landscape and manmade infrastructure. They often cause economic losses, property damages, and loss of lives. Temporal monitoring data of landslides from different epochs empowers the evaluation of landslide progression. Alignment of overlapping surfaces from two or more epochs is crucial for the proper analysis of landslide dynamics. The traditional methods for point-cloud-based landslide monitoring rely on using a variation of the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) registration procedure to align any reconstructed surfaces from different epochs to a common reference frame. However, sometimes the ICP-based registration can fail or may not provide sufficient accuracy. For example, point clouds from different epochs might fit to local minima due to lack of geometrical variability within the data. Also, manual interaction is required to exclude any non-stable areas from the registration process. In this paper, a robust image-based registration method is introduced for the simultaneous evaluation of all registration parameters. This includes the Interior Orientation Parameters (IOPs) of the camera and the Exterior Orientation Parameters (EOPs) of the involved images from all available observation epochs via a bundle block adjustment with self-calibration. Next, a semi-global dense matching technique is implemented to generate dense 3D point clouds for each epoch using the images captured in a particular epoch separately. The normal distances between any two consecutive point clouds can then be readily computed, because the point clouds are already effectively co-registered. A low-cost DJI Phantom II Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was customised and used in this research for temporal data collection over an active soil creep area in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The customisation included adding a GPS logger and a Large-Field-Of-View (LFOV) action camera which facilitated capturing high-resolution geo-tagged images in two epochs over the period of one year (i.e., May 2014 and May 2015). Note that due to the coarse accuracy of the on-board GPS receiver (e.g., +/- 5-10 m) the geo-tagged positions of the images were only used as initial values in the bundle block adjustment. Normal distances, signifying detected changes, varying from 20 cm to 4 m were identified between the two epochs. The accuracy of the co-registered surfaces was estimated by comparing non-active patches within the monitored area of interest. Since these non-active sub-areas are stationary, the computed normal distances should theoretically be close to zero. The quality control of the registration results showed that the average normal distance was approximately 4 cm, which is within the noise level of the reconstructed surfaces.

This paper presents new findings that contribute to the understanding of the deformational style of the Wadi Shueib Structure (WSS) and the Amman-Halabat Structure (AHS) and their relationship with the regional tectonic regime of the Dead Sea Transform Fault (DSTF). Our research utilized Landsat-8 OLI imagery for the automatic extraction of lineaments, and our lineament mapping was facilitated by processing and digital image enhancement using principal component analysis (PCA). Our data revealed a relatively higher density of lineaments along the extension of the major faults of the WSS and AHS. However, a relatively lower density of lineaments was shown in areas covered by recent deposits. Two major lineament trends were observed (NNE-SSW and NW-SE) in addition to a minor one (NE-SW), and most of these lineaments are parallel to the orientation of the WSS and AHS. We offer the supposition that the DSTF has merged into the major faults of the WSS and AHS. We further suppose that these faults were reactivated as a restraining bend composed of active strike-slip fault branches that developed due to the NNW-SSE-trending Dead Sea transpressional stress field. Depending on the relationship between the direction of the WSF and AHF strands and the regional tectonic displacement along the DSTF, thrust components are present on faults with horsetail geometry, and these movements are accompanied by folding and uplifting. Thus, the major faults of the WSS and AHS represent a contractional horsetail geometry with associated folding and thrusting deformation.

Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls rely on its weight to resist the destabilizing earth forces acting at the back of the reinforced soil area. MSE walls are a common infrastructure along national and international transportation corridors as they are low-cost and have easy-to-install precast concrete panels. The usability of such transportation corridors depends on the safety and condition of the MSE wall system. Consequently, MSE walls have to be periodically monitored according to prevailing transportation asset management criteria during the construction and serviceability life stages to ensure that their predictable performance measures are met. To date, MSE walls are monitored using qualitative approaches such as visual inspection, which provide limited information. Aside from being time-consuming, visual inspection is susceptible to bias due to human subjectivity. Manual and visual inspection in the field has been traditionally based on the use of a total station, geotechnical field instrumentation, and/or static terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). These instruments can provide highly accurate and reliable performance measures; however, their underlying data acquisition and processing strategies are time-consuming and not scalable. The proposed strategy in this research provides several global and local serviceability measures through efficient processing of point cloud data acquired by a mobile LiDAR system (MLS) for MSE walls with smooth panels without the need for installing any targets. An ultra-high-accuracy vehicle-based LiDAR data acquisition system has been used for the data acquisition. To check the viability of the proposed methodology, a case study has been conducted to evaluate the similarity of the derived serviceability measures from TLS and MLS technologies. The results of that comparison verified that the MLS-based serviceability measures are within 1 cm and 0.3° of those obtained using TLS and thus confirmed the potential for using MLS to efficiently acquire point clouds while facilitating economical, scalable, and reliable monitoring of MSE walls.

The integration of three-dimensional (3D) data defined in different coordinate systems requires the use of well-known registration procedures, which aim to align multiple models relative to a common reference frame. Depending on the achieved accuracy of the estimated transformation parameters, the existing registration procedures are classified as either coarse or fine registration. Coarse registration is typically used to establish a rough alignment between the involved point clouds. Fine registration starts from coarsely aligned point clouds to achieve more precise alignment of the involved datasets. In practice, the acquired/derived point clouds from laser scanning and image-based dense matching techniques usually include an excessive number of points. Fine registration of huge datasets is time-consuming and sometimes difficult to accomplish in a reasonable timeframe. To address this challenge, this paper introduces two down-sampling approaches, which aim to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the iterative closest patch (ICPatch)-based fine registration. The first approach is based on a planar-based adaptive down-sampling strategy to remove redundant points in areas with high point density while keeping the points in lower density regions. The second approach starts with the derivation of the surface normals for the constituents of a given point cloud using their local neighborhoods, which are then represented on a Gaussian sphere. Down-sampling is ultimately achieved by removing the points from the detected peaks in the Gaussian sphere. Experiments were conducted using both simulated and real datasets to verify the feasibility of the proposed down-sampling approaches for providing reliable transformation parameters. Derived experimental results have demonstrated that for most of the registration cases, in which the points are obtained from various mapping platforms (e.g., mobile/static laser scanner or aerial photogrammetry), the first proposed down-sampling approach (i.e., adaptive down-sampling approach) was capable of exceeding the performance of the traditional approaches, which utilize either the original or randomly down-sampled points, in terms of providing smaller Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) values and a faster convergence rate. However, for some challenging cases, in which the acquired point cloud only has limited geometric constraints, the Gaussian sphere-based approach was capable of providing superior performance as it preserves some critical points for the accurate estimation of the transformation parameters relating the involved point clouds.

Accurate 3D surface reconstruction of our environment has become essential for an unlimited number of emerging applications. In the past few years, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are evolving as low-cost and flexible platforms for geospatial data collection that could meet the needs of aforementioned application and overcome limitations of traditional airborne and terrestrial mobile mapping systems. Due to their payload restrictions, these systems usually include consumer-grade imaging and positioning sensor which will negatively impact the quality of the collected geospatial data and reconstructed surfaces. Therefore, new surface reconstruction surfaces are needed to mitigate the impact of using low-cost sensors on the final products. To date, different approaches have been proposed to for 3D surface construction using overlapping images collected by imaging sensor mounted on moving platforms. In these approaches, 3D surfaces are mainly reconstructed based on dense matching techniques. However, generated 3D point clouds might not accurately represent the scanned surfaces due to point density variations and edge preservation problems. In order to resolve these problems, a new region-based 3D surface renostruction trchnique is introduced in this paper. This approach aims to generate a 3D photo-realistic model of individually scanned surfaces within the captured images. This approach is initiated by a Semi-Global dense Matching procedure is carried out to generate a 3D point cloud from the scanned area within the collected images. The generated point cloud is then segmented to extract individual planar surfaces. Finally, a novel region-based texturing technique is implemented for photorealistic reconstruction of the extracted planar surfaces. Experimental results using images collected by a camera mounted on a low-cost UAS demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach for photorealistic 3D surface reconstruction.

In this paper, we proposed a new refinement procedure for the semi-global dense image matching. In order to remove outliers and improve the disparity image derived from the semi-global algorithm, both the local smoothness constraint and point cloud segments are utilized. Compared with current refinement technique, which usually assumes the correspondences between planar surfaces and 2D image segments, our proposed approach can effectively deal with object with both planar and curved surfaces. Meanwhile, since 3D point clouds contain more precise geometric information regarding to the reconstructed objects, the planar surfaces identified in our approach can be more accurate. In order to illustrate the feasibility of our approach, several experimental tests are conducted on both Middlebury test and real UAV-image datasets. The results demonstrate that our approach has a good performance on improving the quality of the derived dense image-based point cloud.

Background: Primary focal hyperhidrosis (PH) can be managed by a wide range of medical and surgical modalities. Compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) is a well-documented complication of surgical treatment. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) in PH patients after nonsurgical treatment with botulinum toxin A (BTX- A) or iontophoresis. Methodology: We carried out a unicentric prospective study on PH patients from King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) in Jordan. PH patients were evaluated after 1-month of nonsurgical treatment. Patients who developed CH were re-assessed after 3-6 months through a telephone-based interview. Results: A total of 86 patients with PH who underwent nonsurgical treatment with iontophoresis or botulinum toxin were recruited. Twenty-four (27.9%) patients developed subjective CH. It was mild in (75%), moderate in (21%), and severe in (4%) of patients affected, it was self-limiting within a few months in all patients. Patients with CH did not differ significantly in demographic or clinical variables from patients who did not develop CH except at the site of PH (p value =.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that more than quarter (27.9%) of patients with PH may develop minor compensatory sweating, however this didn't affect satisfaction with treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]