553 research outputs found
Effects of Text-messaging on the Academic Writing of Arab EFL Students
No full textThis paper investigates the effect of text-messaging on Arab EFL learners’ English academic writing. It also investigates teachers’ attitudes and reactions to the presence of e-texting features in their students’ writing. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis were employed on data obtained from the following sources: (1) a sample of freshman students’ writing, (2) a survey investigating students’ use of e-chatting in Arabic and English, and (3) a questionnaire eliciting teachers’ reactions to students’ use of texting features in academic writing. The data were collected from a student sample of the Arab Open University (AOU). The research findings show that Arab EFL students’ writing does not reveal a heavy use of texting features, which suggests that this phenomenon neither poses a serious threat nor adversely impacts students’ written English
Impact of Web technologies on student-lecturer expert power relationship
No full textExpert power is “the power that comes from having knowledge and expertise in a particular area” (Nazarko, 2004). In the history of the development of higher education, the relationship between the lecturer and the students has changed because of many different factors. Before the internet and web revolution, the lecturer used to be the main information source for his/her students. The web as a modern source of knowledge is now used universally and this spreading trend might affect the relationship between the lecturer and his students. Understanding the impact of this change appears to be important as it would be employed in improving teaching techniques. In this area, many studies have focused on the impact of using the internet and web applications on students and lecturers. These studies have widely investigated this impact on student’s achievements, attitude and also have shown how the role and performance of the faculty have changed. This paper aims to investigate the impact of using web resources as a source of knowledge on the student-lecturer relationship from students’ perspectives. The investigation focuses on how students’ knowledge gained from using websites has impacted on the relationship with their lecturer as a knowledgeable person which theoretically means Expert power. 1661 students from 30 universities/ educational institutions participated in this research
Exploring the Emergence of Open Spatial Data Infrastructures: Analysis of Recent Developments and Trends in Europe
No full textIn the past 20 years, European public authorities have invested considerable resources in the development of spatial data infrastructures. With the European INSPIRE Directive as an important driver, national spatial data infrastructures were developed throughout Europe to facilitate and coordinate the exchange and sharing of geographic data. While the original focus of these spatial data infrastructure was mainly on data sharing among public authorities, it became more and more evident that these data could also be of great value to users outside the public sector. In recent years, several countries and public administrations started to make a shift towards the establishment of an ‘open’ spatial data infrastructure, in which also businesses, citizens and non- governmental actors were considered as key stakeholders of the infrastructure. This chapter provides an analysis of the measures and solutions implemented in four European countries (the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Finland) to make their spatial data infrastructures open to businesses, citizens and other stakeholders. The analysis shows that in these four countries the move towards more open spatial data infrastructures can mainly be seen in the increased availability of geographic data and spatially enabled services to citizens, businesses and other stakeholders.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public. This publication is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 706999.OLD Geo-information and Land Developmen
Robotic Redo Ileocolic Resection for Crohn's Disease: A Preliminary Report from a Tertiary Care Center
No full textBackground: While the safety of laparoscopic redo ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease has been described before, the safety of robotic redo ileocolonic resection is still unelucidated. Objective: This study aimed to share our preliminary experience regarding the safety of robotic redo ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease. Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: Tertiary care center. Patients: All consecutive adult patients who underwent robotic ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease at our institution between 2014 and 2021 were included. Patients were divided into redo ileocolonic resection and primary ileocolonic resection groups. Primary outcome measures: Baseline demographics, preoperative risk factors, and intraoperative details were compared between both groups. The primary outcome was conversion to open, and secondary outcomes were 30-day postoperative complications. Results: A total of 98 patients were included. Of them, 18 (18.4%) had a redo ileocolonic resection. Patients who had a redo ileocolonic resection were more likely to have a longer duration of disease, associated anoperineal disease, a higher number of previous lines of medical treatments, more likely to have received total parental nutrition before the operation for correction of malnutrition, and longer time for adhesiolysis. Patients who had redo ileocolonic resection had a higher risk for conversion to open [3 (16.7%) versus 2 (2.5%); p value 0.04]. There was no statistically significant difference regarding the overall length of stay and the 30-day morbidity between both groups. No 30-day mortality or anastomotic leaks occurred in either group. Limitations: Retrospective nature of the analysis. Conclusions: Robotic redo ileocolonic resection showed similar short-term postoperative outcomes to robotic primary ileocolonic resection for Crohn's Disease. However, conversion rates are higher in robotic redo ileocolonic resection yet appear lower than previously published results in laparoscopic surgery. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C77
Perioperative outcomes of minimally invasive ileocolic resection for complicated Crohn disease: Results from a referral center retrospective cohort
No full textBackground: Minimally invasive ileocolic resection for complicated Crohn disease, defined as penetrating Crohn disease associated with intra-abdominal fistula, abscess, or phlegmon, is challenging. In addition, the impact of the minimally invasive approach on postoperative outcomes is still debated. This study aimed to compare the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of minimally invasive ileocolic resection for complicated versus uncomplicated Crohn disease. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all consecutive adult patients with Crohn disease undergoing minimally invasive ileocolic resection from 2014 to 2021 was performed. Perioperative outcomes were compared between patients with complicated Crohn disease (complicated group) and patients without these lesions (uncomplicated group). Results: Among the 274 patients undergoing minimally invasive ileocolic resection for Crohn disease, 101 (36.9%) had a robotic approach, and 84 (30.7%) had complicated Crohn disease. Complicated patients were more frequently malnourished (32.1% vs 16.1%, P =.004) and had more frequent previous bowel resections for Crohn disease (22.1% vs 9.5%, P =.002). There were no differences between both groups regarding intraoperative complications (1.1% uncomplicated group vs 2.4% complicated group, P =.463), conversion rate (2.6% uncomplicated group vs 4.8% complicated group, P =.463), postoperative morbidity (27.4% uncomplicated group vs 34.5% complicated group, P =.231), intra-abdominal septic complications (4.2% uncomplicated group vs 7.1% complicated group, P =.309), and length of stay (3.8 ± 2.0 days uncomplicated group vs 4.2 ± 3.0 complicated group, P =.188). Conclusion: Minimally invasive ileocolic resection for complicated Crohn disease is safe and feasible. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm these results
Postoperative Safety Profile of Minimally Invasive Ileocolonic Resections for Crohn's Disease in the Era of Biologic Therapy
No full textBackground: There is controversy regarding the postoperative outcomes in Crohn's disease [CD] patients exposed to vedolizumab [VDZ] or ustekinumab [UST]. We aimed to describe our surgical outcomes in patients who underwent minimally invasive ileocolonic resection [MIS-ICR] for CD who had preoperative biologic therapy. Methods: All consecutive adult patients who had MIS-ICR for CD between 2014 and 2021 at our institution were included. Patients were divided into four groups: VDZ, UST, anti-tumour necrosis factor [anti-TNF], and no biologic group. Timing between the last dose of biologics and surgery was per surgeon's discretion. The primary outcome was intra-abdominal septic complications. Secondary outcomes included all 30-day complications. Results: A total of 274 patients were identified. Of these, 113 [41.2%] patients had received anti-TNF, 52 [19%] had received UST, and 19 [7%] had received VDZ. There was no difference between the four groups regarding baseline risk factors. There was no difference between the four groups regarding intra-abdominal septic complications [4.4% for no biologic, 5.3% for anti-TNF, 5.8% for UST, and 5.3% for VDZ; p = 0.987], surgical site infection rate, overall 30-day morbidity, overall 30-day readmission, overall surgical and medical complications, urinary tract infection, pulmonary infections, or length of stay. Those results were consistent after a subgroup analysis based on complexity of the disease. Conclusions: This retrospective analysis demonstrates an equivalent postoperative safety profile for patients treated with preoperative anti-TNF, VDZ, or UST versus no biologic therapy within 3 months of MIS-ICR for Crohn's disease. Preoperative biologic therapy may not increase complications after minimally invasive ileocolonic resection in Crohn's disease. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm results
Patient colon and rectal operative outcomes when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
No full textThere is limited data about the safety of colorectal surgery after immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). We aimed to share our experience about postoperative outcomes of colorectal surgery for patients treated with ICI. Overall, 31 patients were identified, 22 (71%) underwent elective and nine (29%) underwent emergent/urgent surgery. The 30-day Clavien Dindo class ≥ III complication rates were 27.3% (n = 6) for elective and 55.5% (n = 5) for emergent/urgent cases. Four patients underwent emergency surgery for immune-related colonic perforation and developed postoperative septic shock; two died. Considering patients’ comorbidities, cancer stage, and surgical complexity, elective colorectal surgery after ICI seems relatively safe. However, emergent/urgent colorectal surgery was associated with high postoperative morbidity. Indeed, colonic perforation in the setting of ICI treatment has a significant risk of postoperative mortality. Therefore, for patients on ICI with any acute abdominal symptoms, surgical consult should be involved, and colon perforation should be ruled out
Laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block versus intrathecal analgesia in robotic colorectal surgery
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The pragmatics of codeswitching from Fusha Arabic to Aammiyyah Arabic in religious-oriented discourse
No full textThis study investigated the pragmatics of codeswitching from FuSHa Arabic, the high variety of Arabic (FA), to Aammiyyah Arabic, the low variety or vernacular (AmA), in the most formal type of discourse, namely religious-oriented discourse.The study posited the following five hypotheses:1) CS occurs with considerable frequency in religious discourse; 2) these switches are communicatively purposeful; 3) frequency of CS is related to the linguistic make-up of the audience addressed, 4) to the AmA of the speaker, and 5) to the section of the discourse delivered.To carry out the investigation, the researcher analyzed 18 audio and videotapes of religious discourse, delivered by 13 Arabic religious scholars from different Arab countries. Ten of these tapes were used exclusively to show that CS occurs in religious discourse. The other eight tapes were used to investigate the other hypotheses. The eight tapes involved presentations by three of the most famous religious scholars (from Egypt, Kuwait, and Yemen) delivered 1) within their home countries and 2) outside their home countries.Three of the five hypotheses were supported. It was found that: CS from FA to AmA occurred in religious discourse with considerable frequency; these switches served pragmatic purposes; and the frequency of the switches higher in the question/answer sections than in the lecture sections.Analysis showed that codeswitches fell into three categories: iconic/rhetorical, structural, and other. The switches served numerous communicative functions, some of which resemble the functions found in CS in conversational discourse.One finding was the relationship between the content of the message and the attitude of the speaker toward or its source. Generally, what the speakers perceived as [+positive] was expressed by the H code, and whatever they perceived as [-positive] was expressed by the L code. Scrutiny of this exploitation of the two codes indicated that FA tended to be utilized as a means of upgrading, whereas AmA was used as a means of downgrading.Thesis (Ph. D.)Department of Englis
Reading skills and the Yemeni student
No full textThere is no abstract available for this creative project.Thesis (M.A.)Department of Englis
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