11 research outputs found
Incorporating Chatgpt In The Academic Research Process: Avoiding Student Stigmatization
No full textChatGPT, a potent and readily accessible technological tool, has recently raised concerns regarding its potential for fostering plagiarism within educational contexts. With its emergence, academic institutions have begun disseminating cautionary advisories to educators, urging them to incorporate notifications in their syllabi to apprise students that the utilization of this application could impinge upon their academic integrity, potentially resulting in a failing grade for their submitted work. While these apprehensions possess a certain degree of validity, university professors had anticipated that their institutions would furnish them with comprehensive training sessions on the utilization of ChatGPT and its pertinent functionalities for pedagogical purposes. The primary objective of this research is to introduce ChatGPT and elucidate how it can be harnessed to encourage tertiary-level students in the composition and refinement of their academic research papers, thereby aiding them in attaining the prescribed learning outcomes delineated in their respective syllabi and the guidelines governing academic writing courses. Furthermore, rather than resorting to punitive measures and undue stress imposition, educational institutions should endeavor to evince genuine concern for their students' well-being. The author posits that the extent of plagiarism facilitated by ChatGPT is contingent upon the nature of the course in which it is employed. Consequently, course instructors should consider implementing tailored instructional and assessment strategies, which will be expounded upon in this study. The research culminates by offering recommendations for the preservation of students' well-being and the mitigation of distrust.American University of Sharja
FORGING BONDS BETWEEN ACADEMIC WRITING RESEARCH RESULTS AND TEACHING MATERIALS
No full textThe last four decades have witnessed the birth of numerous studies dealing with the research paper (RP), its rhetorical structure and contents, linguistic features, reporting verbs, review procedures, evaluative language, peer editing, transfer of academic writing skills, and many other features. In spite of the countless researches detailing academic writing features, not a small amount of textbooks on academic writing seem to ignore the results yielded by research conducted on this vital and crucial skill. A great number of academic writing textbooks seem to be unaware of the findings of research on academic writing practices. Thus, it is the purpose of this paper to briefly survey a number of academic writing textbooks claiming to be designed for teaching and developing university students’ academic writing skills and introduce the present author’s attempt in utilizing Swales’ IMRD and CARS patterns in teaching the overall rhetorical structure of academic research papers to tertiary students. The current author strongly believes that academic writing is an apprenticeship process. That is, the students should be shown samples of what they are expected to produce before they actually do it. Therefore, students were, individually, requested to find a journal RP, of 15 pages maximum, in the area they would choose for their research from any peer reviewed journal that uses APA style, print it, highlight only all the section headings, copy them on a separate sheet of paper and bring to the following class. In the second class session, students were divided into teams of 4, and were asked to share and discuss the research design patterns they identified. Then, they selected a representative team member to write the sections and subsections headings they found common in the research design on the whiteboard for all students to see. After this, a whole class discussion of the similarities and differences began. Then, Swales’ models were introduced for comparison with what they found. Using Swales’ models made it easy for students to think in an organized way and assign the information that they had gathered to their relevant sections/move(s).The students’ feedback was encouraging and the research papers they produced corroborated their positive response
Molecular Genetic Diversity and Combining Ability for Some Physiological and Agronomic Traits in Rice under Well-Watered and Water-Deficit Conditions
No full textWater deficit is a pivotal abiotic stress that detrimentally constrains rice growth and production. Thereupon, the development of high-yielding and drought-tolerant rice genotypes is imperative in order to sustain rice production and ensure global food security. The present study aimed to evaluate diverse exotic and local parental rice genotypes and their corresponding cross combinations under water-deficit versus well-watered conditions, determining general and specific combining ability effects, heterosis, and the gene action controlling important traits through half-diallel analysis. In addition, the research aimed to assess parental genetic distance (GD) employing simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, and to determine its association with hybrid performance, heterosis, and specific combining ability (SCA) effects. Six diverse rice genotypes (exotic and local) and their 15 F1 hybrids were assessed for two years under water-deficit and well-watered conditions. The results revealed that water-deficit stress substantially declined days to heading, plant height, chlorophyll content, relative water content, grain yield, and yield attributes. Contrarily, leaf rolling and the sterility percentage were considerably increased compared to well-watered conditions. Genotypes differed significantly for all the studied characteristics under water-deficit and well-watered conditions. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in governing the inheritance of all the studied traits; however, additive gene action was predominant for most traits. The parental genotypes P1 and P2 were identified as excellent combiners for earliness and the breeding of short stature genotypes. Moreover, P3, P4, and P6 were identified as excellent combiners to increase grain yield and its attributes under water-deficit conditions. The hybrid combinations; P1 × P4, P2 × P5, P3 × P4, and P4 × P6 were found to be good specific combiners for grain yield and its contributed traits under water-deficit conditions. The parental genetic distance (GD) ranged from 0.38 to 0.89, with an average of 0.70. It showed lower association with hybrid performance, heterosis, and combining ability effects for all the studied traits. Nevertheless, SCA revealed a significant association with hybrid performance and heterosis, which suggests that SCA is a good predictor for hybrid performance and heterosis under water-deficit conditions. Strong positive relationships were identified between grain yield and each of relative water content, chlorophyll content, number of panicles/plant, number of filled grains/panicle, and 1000-grain weight. This suggests that these traits could be exploited as important indirect selection criteria for improving rice grain yield under water-deficit conditions
Induction of Systemic Resistance against Sheath Blight in Rice by Different Pseudomonas Isolates
No full textSheath blight disease is a fungal pathogen that causes leaf blight in rice plants, resulting in significant yield losses throughout the growing season. Pseudomonas spp. have long been used as biocontrol agents for a variety of plant diseases. Four Pseudomonas isolates were tested for their ability to promote rice growth and generate systemic resistance to Rhizoctonia solani, the causal pathogen of sheath blight disease. In vitro, Pseudomonas isolates produced the growth hormone indole acetic acid (0.82–1.82 mg L−1). Additionally, seed treatment with Pseudomonas putida suspension outperformed P. brassicacearum, P. aeruginosa and P. resinovorans in terms of germination and vigor evaluation. The maximum seed germination of 89% was recorded after seed treatments with a fresh suspension of P. putida, followed by 87% germination in P. aeruginosa treatment, compared with only 74% germination in the untreated controls. When compared with the infected control plants, all Pseudomonas isolates were non-pathogenic to rice and their co-inoculation considerably enhanced plant growth and health by reducing the disease index to 37% and improving plant height (26%), fresh weight (140%) and dry weight (100%). All Pseudomonas isolates effectively reduced sheath blight disease incidence, as well as the fungicide carbendazim, which is recommended for field management of R. solani. In comparison to untreated control seedlings, treatment with Pseudomonas isolates enhanced the production of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes and the expression of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and NPR1 genes, which could be involved in disease incidence reduction. In conclusion, the use of Pseudomonas spp. has been demonstrated to improve rice growth and resistance to R. solani while also providing an environmentally acceptable option to the agroecosystems
Določanje delovanja genov, ki vplivajo na pridelek riža in njegove komponente v normalnih in sušnih razmerah
No full textEight rice genotypes were selected to conduct all crosses in diallel Method 2 Model 1 design to generate genotypes tolerance to drought stress with high yield potential. The parents Giza179 and Sakha 108 and the crosses UYR 3472 × GZ10739 and GZ10487 × Giza179 reported the highest mean values of the grain yield plant-1 under drought conditions. Two and twelve hybrids revealed desirable highly and highly significant positive heterotic effects as a deviation over mid parent, one hybrid obtained significant positive heterotic over betterparent under natural condition. Regarding the grain yield plant-1, four and six parents showed desirable significant and highly significant positive general combing ability effects under either natural and drought conditions, respectively. Five and thirteen hybrids showed desirable significant and highly significant positive specific combining ability effects under both natural and drought conditions, respectively regarding grain yield plant-1. The high significant and positive associated among grain yield and days to heading, relative water content, number of panicles plant-1, thousand grain mass and water use efficiency for both natural and drought environments. The crosses GZ10739 × WAB 638-1, GZ10739 × IRAT112 and WAB 638-1 × IRAT 112 had superior in most agronomic traits at drought condition.Izbranih je bilo osem genotipov riža za izvedbo dialelnih križanj (Metoda 2 Model 1) za vzgojo genotipov s toleranco na sušo in velikim potencialom pridelka. Križanci starševskih genotipov Giza179 in Sakha 108 in križanci UYR 3472 × GZ10739 ter GZ10487 × Giza179 so imeli največji poprečni pridelek zrnja na rastlino v razmerah suše. Dva in dvanajst križancev je imelo zaželjen velik, značilen pozitivni heterotični učinek kot odklon od poprečja staršev, eden od križancev je v naravnih razmerah dosegel značilno pozitiven heterotični učinek glede na boljšega starša. Glede na pridelek zrnja na rastlino so štiri in šest staršev pokazali zaželjene značilne, pozitivne, splošne kombinacijske učinke v naravnih razmerah kot v razmerah suše. Pet in trinajst križancev je v naravnih in sušnih razmerah pokazalo zaželjene in visoko značilne pozitivne specifične kombinacijske učinke glede na pridelek zrnja na rastlino. Ugotovljena je bila zelo značilna in pozitivna povezava med pridelkom zrnja, dnevi do klasenja, relativno vsebnostjo vode, številom latov na rastlino, maso tisočih zrn in učinkovitostjo izrabe vode v normalnem in sušnem okolju. Križanja GZ10739 × WAB 638-1, GZ10739 × IRAT112 in WAB 638-1 × IRAT 112 so bila superiorna v vseh agronomskih lastnostih v razmerah suše
Incorporated Biochar-Based Soil Amendment and Exogenous Glycine Betaine Foliar Application Ameliorate Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Tolerance and Resilience to Osmotic Stress
No full textOsmotic stress is a major physiologic dysfunction that alters the water movement across the cell membrane. Soil salinity and water stress are major causal factors of osmotic stress that severely affect agricultural productivity and sustainability. Herein, we suggested and evaluated the impact of integrated biochar-based soil amendment and exogenous glycine betaine application on the growth, physiology, productivity, grain quality, and osmotic stress tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. Sakha 105) grown in salt-affected soil under three irrigation intervals (6, 9, or 12 days), as well as soil properties and nutrient uptake under field conditions during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Our findings showed that dual application of biochar and glycine betaine (biochar + glycine betaine) reduced the soil pH, electrical conductivity, and exchangeable sodium percentage. However, it enhanced the K+ uptake which increased in the leaves of treated-rice plants. Additionally, biochar and glycine betaine supplementation enhanced the photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids) and physiological attributes (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, relative water content, and electrolyte leakage) of osmotic-stressed rice plants. Biochar + glycine betaine altered the activity of antioxidant-related enzymes (catalase, ascorbate peroxide, and peroxidase). Moreover, it improved the yield components, biological yield, and harvest index, as well as the nutrient value of rice grains of osmotic-stressed rice plants. Collectively, these findings underline the potential application of biochar and glycine betaine as a sustainable eco-friendly strategy to improve plant resilience, not only rice, but other plant species in general and other cereal crops in particular, to abiotic stress, particularly those growing in salt-affected soil
Growth Regulators Improve Outcrossing Rate of Diverse Rice Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Lines through Affecting Floral Traits
No full textCytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) provides an irreplaceable strategy for commercial exploitation of heterosis and producing high-yielding hybrid rice. The exogenous application of plant growth regulators could improve outcrossing rates of the CMS lines by affecting floral traits and accordingly increase hybrid rice seed production. The present study aimed at exploring the impact of growth regulators such as gibberellic acid (GA(3)), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) on promoting floral traits and outcrossing rates in diverse rice CMS lines and improving hybrid rice seed production. The impact of foliar applications of growth regulators comprising GA(3) at 300 g/ha or GA(3) at 150 g/ha + IAA at 50 g/ha + NAA at 200 g/ha versus untreated control was investigated on floral, growth, and yield traits of five diverse CMS lines. The exogenously sprayed growth regulators, in particular, the combination of GA(3), IAA, and NAA (T3) boosted all studied floral, growth, and yield traits in all tested CMS lines. Moreover, the evaluated CMS lines exhibited significant differences in all measured floral traits. L2, L3, and L1 displayed the uppermost spikelet opening angle, duration of spikelet opening, total stigma length, style length, stigma brush, and stigma width. In addition, these CMS lines exhibited the highest plant growth and yield traits, particularly under T3. Consequently, exogenous application of GA(3), IAA, and NAA could be exploited to improve the floral, growth, and yield traits of promising CMS lines such as L2, L3, and L1, hence increasing outcrossing rates and hybrid rice seed production
Global 30-Day Morbidity and Mortality of Primary Bariatric Surgery Combined With Another Procedure: the Blend Study
No full textBackground: No robust data are available on the safety of primary bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS) alone compared to primary BMS combined with other procedures. Objectives: The objective of this study is to collect a 30-day mortality and morbidity of primary BMS combined with cholecystectomy, ventral hernia repair, or hiatal hernia repair. Setting: This is as an international, multicenter, prospective, and observational audit of patients undergoing primary BMS combined with one or more additional procedures. Methods: The audit took place from January 1 to June 30, 2022. A descriptive analysis was conducted. A propensity score matching analysis compared the BLEND study patients with those from the GENEVA cohort to obtain objective evaluation between combined procedures and primary BMS alone. Results: A total of 75 centers submitted data on 1036 patients. Sleeve gastrectomy was the most commonly primary BMS (N = 653, 63%), and hiatal hernia repair was the most commonly concomitant procedure (N = 447, 43.1%). RYGB accounted for the highest percentage (20.6%) of a 30-day morbidity, followed by SG (10.5%). More than one combined procedures had the highest morbidities among all combinations (17.1%). Out of overall 134 complications, 129 (96.2%) were Clavien-Dindo I–III, and 4 were CD V. Patients who underwent a primary bariatric surgery combined with another procedure had a pronounced increase in a 30-day complication rate compared with patients who underwent only BMS (12.7% vs. 7.1%). Conclusion: Combining BMS with another procedure increases the risk of complications, but most are minor and require no further treatment. Combined procedures with primary BMS is a viable option to consider in selected patients following multi-disciplinary discussion. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.) © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.Hamoud Subhi Zahi Al-issawi Hamza Al-Naggar Hamzeh Ibrahim Al-Qazakzeh Manar Al-Shami Omer Al-Taan Nadeem Bilal Alabdallah Nigar Allahverdiyeva Aiman Nuri Allawgalli Marwa Aloulou Bourhan Mohammad Hassan Alrayes Entisar Ahmed Alshareea Ahmad Malek Alsheikh Patrícia F.N. Amaral Ahmed Y Ammar Luciano Antozzi Ahmad Yamen Arnaout Jabra Arraf Aiman Assaf Ali Awad Sajeda Awadi; Leon Ballesteros Jonathan Abraham Demma Angel Diaz Agron Dogjani Anne Sophie Dulac Agustin Duro Mohamad Hayssam ElFawal; Mahafdah Ahmed Salah Mahdi Ravikrishna Mamidanna Gad Amram Marom Ruqaya Masri Jean Claude Mbonicura Adnan Mohammed Vasilios Mousafeiris Norberto Muñoz Montes Celso Nabais Mohannad Nasani Pueya Abdulrashid Nashidengo Ionut Negoi Negoi Aleksandr Neimark Mourad Niazi Abdallah Omari Mouaqit Ouadii Mehmet Faik Özçelik Mahir Ozmen Mykola Paranyak Chetan Parmar Giovanna Pavone Plamen Petkov Tadeja Pintar Yashasvi Rajeev Gopi Ramu Fahd S Saleh Prashant H Salvi Cláudia S.F. Santos Varun Sarodaya Mohammad Ahmad Sawaftah Marah Ahmad Sawaftah Mohamad Nabhan Sawas Asim Shabbir Azhar Shabbir Aamir Shahzad; Kimutai Ronoh Sylvester Safwan Taha Samuel Tay Pinky M Thapar Anisse Tidjane Carlos T. Toro-Huamanchumo Elena Ruiz Úcar Muhammad Burhan Ulhaq Server Sezgin Uludağ Octavio Viveiros Kelvin Voon Maciej Walędziak Haowei Wang Cacio Ricardo Wietzycoski Bryan Yeoh Sercan Yüksel Hussein Zayat Kağan Zengin Mauricio Zuluaga Homayoon Federico Pint
Global Variations in Practices after Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery; the PARTNER Study
No full textWith over 1 billion individuals affected globally, obesity and obesity related diseases is now a leading cause of death. Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has emerged as a cornerstone intervention for severe obesity and its associated comorbidities. Despite its efficacy, postoperative care and follow-up after MBS remains highly variable worldwide.
The PARTNER study aimed to evaluate global clinical practices in the postoperative management following MBS by surveying multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.
This study was an international online survey conducted between October 2024 and January 2025. A multidisciplinary team developed the questionnaire based on existing literature and international guidelines. The survey assessed five domains: follow-up care, postoperative treatment, dietary management, patient support, and measurement of surgical outcomes. Responses were analysed descriptively.
A total of 262 responses were received from 62 countries. Most respondents were bariatric surgeons (72.1%) working in public healthcare systems (73.3%). While 78.7% reported conducting three-month postoperative reviews, only 23.7% offered indefinite follow-up. Hybrid models of care (virtual and in-person) were common (56.9%). VTE prophylaxis and postoperative PPI use were recommended by 64.1% and 84.3% respectively. Nearly all respondents (98.1%) provided dietary advice, with protein and micronutrient supplementation widely endorsed. Only 56.1% routinely referred patients for psychological follow-up. Definitions of surgical success and failure varied widely, with inconsistent objective outcome measures.
The PARTNER study reveals significant international variation in postoperative management practices following MBS. These findings underscore the need for more standardized, evidence-based guidelines to improve long-term outcomes and equity of care worldwide.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
30-day morbidity and mortality of sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and one anastomosis gastric bypass: a propensity score-matched analysis of the GENEVA data
No full textBackground: There is a paucity of data comparing 30-day morbidity and mortality of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). This study aimed to compare the 30-day safety of SG, RYGB, and OAGB in propensity score-matched cohorts. Materials and methods: This analysis utilised data collected from the GENEVA study which was a multicentre observational cohort study of bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS) in 185 centres across 42 countries between 01/05/2022 and 31/10/2020 during the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 30-day complications were categorised according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. Patients receiving SG, RYGB, or OAGB were propensity-matched according to baseline characteristics and 30-day complications were compared between groups. Results: In total, 6770 patients (SG 3983; OAGB 702; RYGB 2085) were included in this analysis. Prior to matching, RYGB was associated with highest 30-day complication rate (SG 5.8%; OAGB 7.5%; RYGB 8.0% (p = 0.006)). On multivariate regression modelling, Insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolaemia were associated with increased 30-day complications. Being a non-smoker was associated with reduced complication rates. When compared to SG as a reference category, RYGB, but not OAGB, was associated with an increased rate of 30-day complications. A total of 702 pairs of SG and OAGB were propensity score-matched. The complication rate in the SG group was 7.3% (n = 51) as compared to 7.5% (n = 53) in the OAGB group (p = 0.68). Similarly, 2085 pairs of SG and RYGB were propensity score-matched. The complication rate in the SG group was 6.1% (n = 127) as compared to 7.9% (n = 166) in the RYGB group (p = 0.09). And, 702 pairs of OAGB and RYGB were matched. The complication rate in both groups was the same at 7.5 % (n = 53; p = 0.07). Conclusions: This global study found no significant difference in the 30-day morbidity and mortality of SG, RYGB, and OAGB in propensity score-matched cohorts. © 2021, The Author(s)
