Covid-19 in Kuwait: An Opportunity for the Government

The first Covid-19 disease case was found in Kuwait on February 24th, 2020 when a Kuwaiti citizen was tested positive after coming back from Iran. Since then, the Kuwaiti government has taken many measures to contain its spread in the country. These steps have been gradual and important but were not able to contain the spread of the disease as hundreds of cases appeared in the country. The government's reaction to the crisis may have long-run implications, especially in the political arena, and might be an opportunity for the government to solve very critical problems in the country. This article tries to explore that

Breaking down the Classroom Walls: Augmented Reality Effect on EFL Reading Comprehension, Self-Efficacy, Autonomy and Attitudes

This study aimed at investigating the effect of Augmented Reality (AR) on college-level EFL students’ reading comprehension, self-efficacy, autonomy and attitudes. It also examined the relationships between self-efficacy, autonomy and attitudes. The sample consisted of (59) male students: an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=29), studying English for Academic Purposes at Taif University, Saudi Arabia. The study employed the quasi-experimental approach using a pre-post, nonequivalent control group design. A reading comprehension test, a self-efficacy scale, an autonomy scale and a questionnaire for attitudes were designed to gather the data. The findings indicated that there was a significant difference between the two groups in the reading comprehension post-test in favor of the experimental group. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean score of the pre and post administration of the self-efficacy scale in favor of the post administration. Besides, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean score of the pre and post administration of the autonomy scale in favor of the post administration. The results of one-sample T Test showed that all attitudes items were statistically significant and the grand mean score was statistically significant which indicated that students had positive attitudes towards using Augmented Reality in language learning. Finally, positive significant relationships between students’ self-efficacy, autonomy and attitudes were found

Foreign Language Anxiety in Higher Education: A Practical Framework for Reducing FLA

This study aimed at investigating foreign language anxiety level and the factors affecting the anxiety among Saudi English major students at Taif University and exploring the impact of gender and academic level in this regard. It also examined the relationship between anxiety and language proficiency in the Saudi context. Two questionnaires, a modified version of FLCAS (Horwitz et al., 1986) and IFLAF, were administered to 373 English major students (205 male and 168 female). The results revealed that Saudi English major students had moderate level of anxiety. The highest provoking causes of students' anxiety were worrying about consequences of failing, forgetting things they knew and feeling uneasiness during language tests. The analyses of the variables related to foreign language anxiety revealed a significant negative correlation between language anxiety and language proficiency (grammar, speaking, writing, reading and GPA). Gender did not have a significant impact on foreign language anxiety in the current study. Finally, the academic level of students did not affect the level of anxiety indicating that all students, despite their academic level, suffer from the same level of anxiety. The study suggested an EFL practical Model to reduce the negative effects of anxiety. Suggestions and further research were presented

Diagnostic uncertainty of hepatobiliary cystadenoma: Report of 11 cases and review of the literature

AbstractObjectivesThis research was conducted to highlight the pre-operative diagnostic uncertainty of hepatobiliary cystadenomas and to suggest strategies to improve its diagnostic yield.MethodsAll consecutive patients admitted with hepatobiliary cystadenomas from July 2007 to July 2014 were recruited in this study. The following information was retrieved from the medical records of eligible patients: demographics, clinical features, laboratory tests, imaging results, operative procedures, frozen sections, complications, histopathology, outpatient follow-up, and morbidity and mortality.ResultsEleven total patients with a diagnosis of hepatobiliary cystadenomas were treated in our unit. Abdominal ultrasounds and computed tomography (CT) scans were performed in all patients; magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) was performed in three patients with suspicion of hepatobiliary cystadenomas. Six patients underwent a definitive surgery; five patients were incorrectly diagnosed with non-hepatobiliary cystadenoma liver cysts (2 hydatid cysts and 3 simple cysts) by the pre-operative ultrasound and CT scan. These five patients underwent surgical deroofing. The frozen section was positive in two patients and was falsely negative in one patient who was diagnosed with simple cysts. The final histopathology results identified hepatobiliary cystadenomas in all patients.ConclusionsHepatobiliary cystadenomas are rare and are frequently misdiagnosed as hepatic cystic lesions with resultant inadequate surgical treatments. A diagnosis of hepatobiliary cystadenomas should be considered in all patients with atypical liver cystic lesions. Further pre-operative assessment with MRIs and intra-operative frozen sections may improve the diagnostic yield and provide an opportunity for a definitive radical resection

Design studies of infrastructural development for applications of hydrogen energy technologies

Countries around the world are trying to reduce their energy consumption, fossil fuel usage, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the International Energy Outlook 2012 released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the estimated fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards proposed for light-duty vehicles for model years 2017-2025 has an increase of 44% in fuel economy and a reduction of 34% in GHG emissions. The use of alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy sources are, therefore, inevitable toward achieving this goal. Biogas has untapped potential as an alternative energy source. This immediately available resource would allow countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and reliance on fossil fuels. This energy source is created by the anaerobic digestion of a feedstock. Sources for feedstock include organic and inorganic wastes, agricultural wastes, animal by-products, and industrial wastes, each a renewable energy source. A fuel cell can utilize the methane present in biogas using integrated heat, power, and hydrogen systems. A study was performed on both energy flow and resource availability to ascertain not only the type but also the source of feedstock needed to run a fuel cell system continuously while maintaining maximum capacity. A hydrogen fueling infrastructure was also created for the northeastern United States. The infrastructure is to be implemented between 2013 and 2025. The design itself gives priority to customer convenience with minimal additional investments. Extensive research has been done on a generating hydrogen supply from factories and other potential sources that can satisfy the demand in that region. Several markers (e.g., population density, traffic density, legislations, and growth patterns) have driven the process of estimation of the demand. --Abstract, page iv

Small-Signal Analysis of High-Performance VCSELs

In this paper, a comprehensive model to describe the small-signal modulation response of ultra-high performance single- and multi-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), with modulation bandwidths exceeding 30 GHz, is presented. Traditionally, utmost simplified dynamic models are used to extract dynamic figures of merit from single-mode edge-emitting lasers. These methods are later on also applied to evaluate the dynamic performance of VCSELs, even though these devices have a very different geometrical layout and modal confinement. However, to understand the dynamic performance of high-speed VCSELs, a model supporting the transverse and longitudinal mode profile, and the driving current inhomogeneity in the active region, is needed. Therefore, multi-mode VCSEL rate equations are established here. Moreover, to access the dynamic figures of merit of these devices, a comprehensive analytical fitting function based on our carrier reservoir splitting approach is derived. Thus, because of the high carrier and photon densities inside these optimized VCSELs, the common carrier reservoir splits up as a result of numerous effects such as mode competition, carrier diffusion and spatial hole burning. These and other effects have a tremendous impact on the small signal modulation response shape and bandwidth, and also on the current distribution profile in the carrier reservoirs. Compared with our recently reported work, this novel model presented includes the effects of gain compression and inhomogeneous current injection between the different lasing modes. Consequently, it is found that the further tuning of our multi-mode VCSEL dynamic model, to include these effects, yields a more physical and consistent figures of merit of high-performance VCSELs.DFG, 414044773, Open Access Publizieren 2019 - 2020 / Technische Universität BerlinDFG, 43659573, SFB 787: Halbleiter - Nanophotonik: Materialien, Modelle, Bauelement