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Alaa Dweikat,1 Arkan Jarrar,1 Mohammad Akkawi,2,3 Mohammad Shehadeh,2,3 Ammar Aghbar,3 Jamal Qaddumi,1 Maha Akkawi1 1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine; 2Department of Special Surgeries, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University Hospital, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine; 3Ophthalmology Department, An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, PalestineCorrespondence: Mohammad Akkawi; Alaa Dweikat Email m.akkawi@najah.edu; alaadweikat43@gmail.comPurpose: This article aims to evaluate how the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) respond to the intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and to assess the correlation between these changes. It will also assess the use of the baseline SFCT as a predictor for BCVA changes in eyes of treatment-naive, diabetic macular edema (DME) patients.Methods: This retrospective, consecutive case series comprised 59 eyes of 39 treatment-naive DME patients. Complete slit-lamp assessment, swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) scans to measure SFCT and BCVA values were performed at two stages: baseline and one month after the third monthly injection of intravitreal bevacizumab.Results: Patients’ ages ranged from 46.3 to 76.4 years (mean: 62.6 ± 2.3). The mean SFCT was 318 ± 82 μm at baseline, which decreased after 3 months to 300 ± 66 μm (P-value = 0.021). There was an improvement in the mean of the logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from 0.7 (decimal equivalent: 0.2) to 0.5 (decimal equivalent: 0.3) (P-value = 0.019). There was no association between SFCT changes and BCVA changes (P-value = 0.180). Wilcoxon signed-rank test disclosed that a better BCVA improvement was related to a greater subfoveal choroidal thickness at baseline P-value < 0.00.Conclusion: Eyes with a higher baseline subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) attained greater BCVA improvement than eyes with a lower baseline SFCT. In addition to this, changes to SFCT do not appear to correlate with BCVA changes. These findings do not support using OCT SFCT changes as a prognostic factor for changes to BCVA after intravitreal bevacizumab treatment in evaluating treatment-naive DME eyes.Keywords: diabetic macular edema, subfoveal choroidal thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, bevacizumab, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor

Kamal Hassan,1,2 Yotam Elimeleh,1 Mona Shehadeh,3 Hassan Fadi,4 Irina Rubinchik2 1Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel; 2Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel; 3Biochemistry Laboratory, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel; 4Internal Medicine Department E, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel Background: Disturbances in sexual function are common among dialysis patients. Normal erections require a complex balance of physiological, psychological, emotional, hormonal, neurological and vascular factors. This study examined a possible association of overhydration (OH) with male sexual dysfunction and depression in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study assessed hydration status by whole-body bioimpedance spectroscopy in patients on maintenance HD for more than 12 months. Patients were categorized according to OH to extracellular water (ECW) ratio: OH/ECW ratio >0.15 and OH/ECW ratio ≤0.15. Sexual function was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score. Psychological status was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score. Serum sex hormones were determined. Results: Of 39 stable participants on HD, 53.8% were overhydrated (OH/ECW ratio >0.15) and 46.2% not overhydrated (OH/ECW ratio ≤0.15). Of participants with OH/ECW ratio >0.15, 85.7% had mild to severe ED, and 71.4% had abnormal BDI scores, ranging from mild mood disturbance to severe depression. Compared to patients with OH/ECW ratio ≤0.15, BDI scores, serum estradiol and plasma hsCRP were higher (18.48±8.34 vs 10.61±5.46, p0.15, while their IIEF score, serum total testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were lower (12.81±7.31 vs 41.44±23.79, p

This study is aimed at developing alginate hydrogel filaments enriched with TEMPO (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl radical)–oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs) through 3D‐printing techniques for application in bone tissue engineering. The filaments were designed to act as advanced biomaterials that support bone regeneration by combining alginate dissolved in phosphate ions with TOCNs, followed by extrusion into a calcium chloride solution. This process facilitated the cross‐linking of alginate and in situ mineralization of calcium phosphate. The produced hydrogel filaments were characterized using a variety of techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Additionally, in situ biomineralization tests confirmed the successful formation of apatite. Mechanical testing revealed a significant increase in tensile strength, ranging from 40 to 80 MPa, which underscores the improved structural integrity of the hydrogels. Rheological assessments demonstrated that the addition of TOCNs enhanced the viscoelastic properties of the filaments, making them more suitable for 3D‐printing applications. Cytotoxicity tests further confirmed the biocompatibility of the scaffolds, showing enhanced cell proliferation. These results suggest that incorporating TOCNs into alginate hydrogels offers a promising approach to developing functional biomaterials in tissue engineering, particularly for bone regeneration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The application of polymer flooding is challenging in harsh temperature and salinity conditions in Middle-Eastern carbonate reservoirs, as they can deteriorate the commonly used polymers such as Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide (HPAM). One solution to this issue is the use of newly developed Acrylamido-Tertiary-Butyl Sulfonate (ATBS) based polymers, which can endure adverse temperature and salinity conditions. However, they also tend to adsorb onto carbonate rocks with positive surface charge. This study aims to tackle the problem of high polymer retention by employing low-salinity polymer flooding. For that coreflooding experiments were conducted on an ATBS-based polymer in salinities ranging from 400 to 167,000 ppm using fully water-saturated cores and cores at residual oil saturation (Sor). The single-phase retention experiments determined polymer retention values of around 25 µg/g-rock when using diluted brines, which is about half of the retention values (47–56 µg/g-rock) observed with high salinity seawater (43,000 ppm) and formation water (167,000 ppm). Furthermore, the retention of the ATBS-based polymer was further reduced by 50% in the presence of oil compared to the experiments conducted in the absence of oil. The results demonstrated that an optimal salinity threshold of 10,000 ppm and lower yields significant improvements in the efficiency of polymer flooding.

This study aimed to examine the influence of talent management practices (recruitment and selection, training and development, rewards and compensation) on employee retention and employee performance in Jordanian service organizations. A questionnaire was adopted and distributed among the employees in the service organizations in Jordan; the study’s respondents were 267 employees from service organizations (telecommunication firms, banks, and tourism firms). SmartPLS 3 was used to analyze the data and to examine the measurement and structural models. The findings of the study indicated that rewards and compensation significantly and positively affected employee performance (t = 2.558) and employee retention (t = 5.336). Similarly, recruitment and selection significantly and positively influenced employee performance (t = 2.208) and employee retention (t = 5.822). Training and development also significantly and positively affected employee performance (t = 2.288) and employee retention (t = 2.699). The results suggest that implementing talent management practices (recruitment and selection, training and development, and rewards and compensation) can improve employee retention and performance in Jordanian service organizations.

This study aims to investigate the impact of digital supply chains and smart technology on the operational performance of the manufacturing industry. Due to the lack of knowledge and guidance in this area, the adoption of smart technology throughout the supply chain is limited, leading to poor operational performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how smart technology and digital supply chain transformation can improve operational performance. To test hypotheses and accomplish study goals, the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory was combined with a quantitative research strategy. The study population of companies was obtained from a manufacturing directory, and a minimum sample size of 107 companies was determined using G*Power. Additionally, 600 online surveys were sent to the manufacturing companies, resulting in a response rate of 17.83%. Data analysis was conducted using Smart-PLS 4.0 software, and eight of the 10 hypotheses were supported. The findings showed that smart technologies completely mediate the link between digital transformation and relationship performance, emphasizing the need for manufacturing organizations to focus on incorporating smart technology into their supply chain to enhance operational performance. The study concludes by presenting theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and recommendations.

An increased sense of job performance and better job satisfaction can be achieved by receiving social support. In order to fulfil this purpose, this study aimed to determine the relationship between social support on the one hand and job performance and job satisfaction on the other hand for the Jordanian insurance industry employees. Survey data were gathered from 269 employees from the Jordanian insurance industry. The PLS 3.0 software was used to process data using the structural equation modelling method. The study’s findings revealed that all social support factors were positively and significantly related to job performance and job satisfaction, including manager support, peer support, friends support, and others’ support. Hence, job performance and job satisfaction in the Jordanian insurance industry can be predicted by studying the existence of social support. The study’s findings concluded that the higher the social support, the higher the job performance and job satisfaction.

Experiments on erosion-corrosion performance characteristics of API 5L X 42 carbon steel material have been conducted in aqueous medium at three impingement different angles of 25°, 45° and 90° and at the different high speeds of erosive liquid of 98, 153, and 182 m/s. Experiments have been carried out in tape water with constant sand concentration 5% of rig basin volume. Two sizes of irregular shape Silica coarse and soft sand have been used, whose coarse sand size has been 1160 µm, and soft sand size has been 185 µm in separated experiment and specimens. The durations of the experiments have been 300, 600, 900, 1200, 1500 and 1800 seconds. The surface roughness and the metal loss have been measured, and the morphology of the surface has been investigated and applied by scanning electronic microscope at various scales. The results of the study have concluded that the erosive liquid jet with soft sand has less effect on the erosion-corrosion rate in comparison with the effects of coarse sand. The highest erosioncorrosion rate has been recorded for coarse sand and at the sharper angles of 25° with the higher speed (182 m/s). Mathematical models for erosion corrosion rate have been developed for these experimental parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the mechanical behaviour and texture evolution of AZ31B magnesium alloy under uniaxial tensile testing are investigated at different strain rates and temperatures. A crystal plasticity model is developed and calibrated to predict the mechanical response of the AZ31B at different temperatures and strain rates. The model results show that the relative activity of thepyramidal slip increases with increasing temperature, reaching a maximum activity at 200 °C. In order to achieve the continuous increase in the relative activity of thepyramidal slip as reported in the literature, a grain boundary sliding mechanism is implemented in the crystal plasticity framework. The incorporation of the grain boundary sliding at elevated temperatures results in considerable improvement in the model’s capabilities for prediction of yielding, hardening and texture evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background. Lebanon has a need for innovative approaches to increase access to mental health care to meet the country's current high demand. E-mental health has been included in its national mental health strategy while in parallel the World Health Organization has produced an online intervention called 'Step-by-Step' to treat symptoms of depression that is being tested in Lebanon over the coming years. Aim. The primary aim of this study is to conduct bottom-up, community-driven qualitative cognitive interviewing from a multi-stakeholder perspective to inform the cultural adaptation of an Internet-delivered mental health intervention based on behavioural activation in Lebanon. Methods. National Mental Health Programme staff conducted a total of 11 key informant interviews with three mental health professionals, six front-line workers in primary health care centres (PHCCs) and two community members. Also, eight focus group discussions, one with seven front-line workers and seven others with a total of 66 community members (Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians) were conducted in several PHCCs to inform the adaptation of Step-by-Step. Results were transcribed and analysed thematically by the project coordinator and two research assistants. Results. Feedback generated from the cognitive interviewing mainly revolved around amending the story, illustrations and the delivery methods to ensure relevance and sensitivity to the local context. The results obtained have informed major edits to the content of Step-by-Step and also to the model of provision. Notably, the intervention was made approximately 30% shorter; it includes additional videos of content alongside the originally proposed comic book- style delivery; there is less emphasis on total inactivity as a symptom of low mood and more focus on enjoyable activities to lift mood; the story and ways to contact participants to provide support were updated in line with local gender norms; and many of the suggested or featured activities have been revised in line with suggestions from community members. Conclusions. These findings promote and advocate the use of community-driven adaptation of evidence-based psychological interventions. Some of the phenomena recorded mirror findings from other research about barriers to care seeking in the region and so changes made to the intervention should be useful in improving utility and uptake of 'Step-by-Step'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion corrosion is main problem in marine structures, such as offshore pipelines and a ship's propeller churning in the ocean. Understanding the failure mechanism due to erosion helps in the review of pipeline design. This paper concerns with studying the behavior of A106 carbon-steel pipes working in two different erosive environments (i.e. plain and slurry seawater). Series of laboratory experiments are carried out to investigate the rates of iron losses due to both flow rate variations and sand concentration variations. The flow rate is controlled to cover both the laminar and turbulent flow regimes. The sand concentration varies from null to 9 g/l. The relationship between the rate of corrosion rate and flow rate at different levels of contamination is investigated. A regression equation is developed to describe the relationship of different erosioncorrosion rate at laminar and turbulent flow regimes along with different sand contamination levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]