CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) DISEASE IN RENAL ALLOGRAFT RECIPIENTS IN THE NEW IMMUNOSUPPRESSION ERA

Despite aggressive prophylaxis with antivirals, CMV infection remains a major complication of immunosuppression in renal transplantation with remarkable health and economic impacts. The incidence of new and recurrent CMV disease in adult renal transplant recipients at a single tertiary care hospital were studied, and multivariable analyses conducted to identify major predictors for CMV disease in the current immunosuppression era. Patients transplanted between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2002 were included and followed prospectively until December 31, 2006. The primary end point was development of CMV disease and the incidence was 14.6% (95% Cl, 11.7-18%). None had recurrent CMV disease. Using multivariable analysis, factors associated with increased risk of developing CMV disease were CMV sero-status and positive B- cell cross match at time of transplantation. Patients with a positive B-cell crossmatch had a 3 times greater associated risk for developing CMV disease than those with a negative cross-match (OR = 3.23, 95% Confidence Interval, 1.16 - 9.0, p = 0.025). This association has not been previously reported and should be considered when identifying risks and complications with patients

The Role 18F-FDG and 18F-NaF PET/CT in Assessment of Temporomandibular Joint Metabolic Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF)PET/CT for assessing the status of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with healthy (non-RA) individuals. Method: Eighteen patients diagnosed with RA (mean age 55±12.1years: 4 females and 14 males) were included in the test group. Eighteen age-, sex- and race-matched healthy control subjects were selected from the CAMONA clinical trial. PET/CT images were acquired 180-minute post-intravenous administration of FDG and NaF (2.2 MBq/kg). For FDG analysis, regions of interest (ROIs) were manually assigned per anatomical boundaries using a closed polygon tool. The first ROI of the mask was assigned on the trans-axial CT slice with the first evidence of the glenoid fossa down to two to three slices inferiorly. The ROI followed the anatomy of the TMJ. For NaF, a three-dimensional ball tool of 1.5 cm was used to assign ROIs with the head of the mandibular condyle located at the center including the osseous compartment of the joint extending inferiorly to the neck of the condyle. Averaged SUVmean was used to semi-quantify FDG and NaF uptake in each joint. Then average SUVmean of the right and the left TMJ was determined. For normalization, a Target to Background Ratio (TBR) was used. For statistical analysis, the student’s t-test and regression analysis were used. The severity of RA was assessed by determining the Disease Activity Score of serum C reactive protein (DAS-28 CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS-28 ESR) for each subject. Results: FDG TBRmean for the test group was 1.21±0.33 compared to 0.91±0.2 in controls, (p=0.003.) No correlation was found between FDG uptake and DAS28-CRP or DAS28-ESR. The NaF average SUVmean was significantly higher in RA patients than healthy control subjects (2.4±0.8 versus 1.9±0.4, p=0.02). Similarly, the TMJ TBRmean was also higher in RA patients relative to healthy controls (4.2±2.1 versus 2.7±0.9, p=0.01) A significant positive correlation was found between TBRmean and DAS28-CRP (r=0.49, p=0.03), while there was positive trend in the correlation between TBRmean with DAS28-ESR that was not statistically significance (r=0.37, p=0.12). Conclusion: RA patients appear to have significantly higher metabolic activity in the TMJ than age-, sex- and race-matched healthy control subjects. Our results illustrate the potential value of using FDG and NaF-PET/CT for evaluation of TMJ disorders and suggest that this modality may useful for monitoring the effects of treatment regimens

A History of Freed Slaves\u27 Homes in Northern Nigeria, 1900-1926

This dissertation is about the children rescued from slave traders by the British colonial government in Northern Nigeria in the early twentieth century. The children were first settled in state-owned Freed Slaves Homes located at Zungeru and Borno provinces in 1904. After the state-owned Homes were abolished in 1909, they were moved to the privately-owned Lucy Memorial Freed Slaves’ Home. The study focuses on the experiences of these liberated children within the premises of the Freed Slaves\u27 Homes and in settings outside of these institutions in Northern Nigeria. Drawing on previously unused archival materials obtained from various parts of the world including Nigeria, Ghana, and the United Kingdom, the dissertation explores what “freedom” meant for the formerly enslaved children. Although the colonial administration described the children under study as liberated, my study reveals that they were freed but not free. Put differently, it reveals that they, occupied a position in-between of slavery and freedom. In addition to arguing that the liberated children occupied a unique position in society, this dissertation stresses, among others, that Freed Slaves’ Homes played significant roles in colonial Northern Nigeria, that childhood is a social construction, and that the management of the relevant Homes and the experiences of children based in the various institution were similar, but not identical

Critical Success and Failure Factors in a Charitable Organization’s Systems Development and Adoption

In the current knowledge society, adoption of information technology (IT) innovation initiatives has become a necessity for the success of most organizations. The decision to adopt information technology solutions however must be made on welldefined user requirements, and not on mere high-expectations. In this paper we present a case study of an ambitious Saudi Arabian charitable organization that decided to start the development of its information system based on anticipated modes of operation and not actual operational and user requirements. Even after the deployment of the information system, the shape of organizational operations was still transforming. Once functional operations of the foundation were finally stabilized it was realized that the developed system, to a large extent, had failed to meet the actual user needs and its intended user adoption did not fully materialize

Task-based and grammar-based English language teaching : an experimental study in Saudi Arabia

PhD ThesisIn recent decades there have been many expressions of dissatisfaction with the traditional method of teaching foreign languages. This method tends to concentrate on grammar and vocabulary and produce students who are strong in this type of knowledge but weak in using the language communicatively. Consequently, attempts have been made to devise teaching methods that give students stronger communication skills and address students' questionnaire feedback. This study examines attempts to prove the efficacy of the communicative approach and, in particular, experiments to prove its superiority to the grammatical approach. Particular attention is paid to Task-Based Learning (TBL) as one of the most promising examples of the communicative teaching approach. The study finds that, although previous comparative studies supply mounting evidence of the value of the newer methods, none provides clear proof of the superiority of one method over the other, because the experiment was poorly designed, the sample was too small or the recorded data deficient. A students' feedback questionnaire carried out as a preliminary study also established clear dissatisfaction with the grammar courses run by the University of Umm al-Qura in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to carry out a thoroughgoing experiment based on the question: do learners who are taught an English course using the TBL method reach a better level of proficiency and oral improvement at the end of the course than their counterparts who are taught with the grammar-based or traditional method? The experiment was conducted over a twelve-week term with second-year science students following a compulsory English for Science course at the University of Umm al-Qura. A total of 283 students took part, divided into eight classes, of which four were taught with the grammar-based learning (GBL) method and four were taught with the TBL method. The students were allocated to classes so that the GBL and TBL groups had a similar standard of English at the start of the experiment. All the teaching was done by the researcher. Four measures were used to answer the research question. Oral tests before and after the experiment measured fluency, the course final examination measured accuracy, recorded classroom observations provided material for analysing the content and conduct of lessons and classroom behaviour, and a course evaluation questionnaire sought to assess students' attitudes. The results clearly show that the TBL method improves the fluency and accuracy of university students more than the GBL method, and that the TBL learners were more active in the lessons, used the target language more and took more responsibility than the GBL learners. The TBL students also enjoyed the course more than their GBL counterparts and were more motivated to continue their English studies.University of Umm al-Qura

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) DISEASE IN RENAL ALLOGRAFT RECIPIENTS IN THE NEW IMMUNOSUPPRESSION ERA

Despite aggressive prophylaxis with antivirals, CMV infection remains a major complication of immunosuppression in renal transplantation with remarkable health and economic impacts. The incidence of new and recurrent CMV disease in adult renal transplant recipients at a single tertiary care hospital were studied, and multivariable analyses conducted to identify major predictors for CMV disease in the current immunosuppression era. Patients transplanted between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2002 were included and followed prospectively until December 31, 2006. The primary end point was development of CMV disease and the incidence was 14.6% (95% Cl, 11.7-18%). None had recurrent CMV disease. Using multivariable analysis, factors associated with increased risk of developing CMV disease were CMV sero-status and positive B- cell cross match at time of transplantation. Patients with a positive B-cell cross­ match had a 3 times greater associated risk for developing CMV disease than those with a negative cross-match (OR = 3.23, 95% Confidence Interval, 1.16 - 9.0, p = 0.025). This association has not been previously reported and should be considered when identifying risks and complications with patients

Implementation of Peer Tutoring Strategies in Teaching Students with ADHD: Teachers’ Attitudes in Saudi Education

This study aimed to measured teachers’ attitudes toward implementation of peer tutoring strategies in teaching students with ADHD in Saudi Arabia. The study moreover examined the relationship between teachers’ attitudes of implementation of peer tutoring strategies and variables of demographic characteristics. Five hundred thirty eight teachers employed at public schools in Riyadh City responded to a survey questionnaire. The results of the study showed teachers realized the benefits of implementing a peer tutoring strategy, they considered there to be a lack in implementing this strategy, they were unsure of the barriers faced by teachers, and they supposed there to be teachers’ needs. The study found significant differences in teachers’ attitudes regarding teachers’ gender, teaching position in schools, and previous teaching experience. No significant differences were found in the school level of teaching. Implications are discussed. Keywords: Teachers’ Attitudes, Peer Tutoring, Students, ADH

Identification and Pathogenicity Test of Bacterial Symbionts from an Entomopathogenic Oscheius.

M.S. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2018

Computational and Experimental Study on Innovative Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine Blade Designs

This study was made to explore three novel blade geometries with intent to increase power production of a horizontal axes, three blade arrangement wind turbine. This was done by designing the blades using computer aided design (CAD) modeling software, followed by a rigorous testing phase, utilizing a computational fluid dynamics software (CFD). The blades then went into a cycle of iterative design to achieve the best parameters that will positively impact the overall power generation efficiency. These steps were followed by printing the blades utilizing 3D Printing technology, testing them for the power generation, and finally, tabulating these findings to validate the numerical results gathered using CFD software. The blade designs under investigation here are the slotted blade (blade with slot shaped cavity on leading edge extending to lower surface), A blade resembling the tubercles (local inflation or bulges on surface) found on a humpback whale and the winglet blade, which was compared to the baseline traditional straight blade. The slotted, tubercle and straight blade were experimentally investigated, while the winglet blade underwent a CFD study only and compared to the other designs. It was found experimentally that the slotted blade generates 26.1% more power on average than the straight blade, and was found very ideal for low wind vacancies, while the tubercle was found of less effectiveness than the straight, though it possesses superior characteristics in suppressing the resultant noise, which is a common wind turbine problem. The winglet showed very similar in results to the straight blade, where its addition would come very fruitful at higher wind velocities, due to the fact that the inertial forces needed to start the operation is a higher order of magnitude than the straight blade