MQVC: Measuring Quranic Verses Similarity and Sura Classification Using N-Gram

Extensive research efforts in the area of Information Retrieval were concentrated on developing retrieval systems related to Arabic language for the different natural language and information retrieval methodologies. However, little effort was conducted in those areas for knowledge extraction from the Holly Muslim book, the Quran. In this paper, we present an approach (MQVC) for retrieving the most similar verses in comparison with a user input verse as a query. To demonstrate the accuracy of our approach, we performed a set of experiments and compared the results with an evaluation from a Quran Specialist who manually identified all relevant chapters and verses to the targeted verse in our study. The MQVC approach was applied to 70 out of 114 Quran chapters. We picked 40 verses randomly and calculated the precision to evaluate the accuracy of our approach. We utilized N-gram to extend the work by performing experiment with machine learning algorithm (LibSVM classifier in Weka), to classify Quran chapters based on the most common scholars classification: Makki and Madani chapters

Test Cases Selection Based on Source Code Features Extraction

Extracting valuable information from source code automatically was the subject of many research papers. Such information can be used for document traceability, concept or feature extraction, etc. In this paper, we used an Information Retrieval (IR) technique: Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) for the automatic extraction of source code concepts for the purpose of test cases\u27 reduction. We used and updated the open source FLAT Eclipse add on to try several code stemming approaches. The goal is to check the best approach to extract code concepts that can improve the process of test cases\u27 selection or reduction

Patterns of pediatric trauma in Ramadan: an observational study

Introduction Motor vehicle crashes are a major cause of death among the Saudi population. In Ramadan, the working hours and the road traffic rush hours differ from other months of the year; the pattern of trauma may also differ. We compared trauma in the pediatric age group in Ramadan with non-Ramadan months in terms of frequency, patterns, and severity.Methods We conducted a retrospective study, which included all pediatric trauma cases, from 2001 to 2009, who were registered in King Abdulaziz Medical City Trauma Registry. Trauma patterns were divided into two groups according to the date of occurrence: victims in Ramadan versus victims in non-Ramadan.Results A total of 3766 patients were included. The average number of trauma per month was 39.2 versus 44 for non-Ramadan and Ramadan months, respectively (P = 0.79). The mean patient age in Ramadan was 8.04 years compared with 8.07 years in non-Ramadan months (P = 0.037). Blunt trauma was the most common type in both groups. The median of the Injury Severity Score was the same and equal to 4. In both groups, neurological and vascular injuries were more common in Ramadan: P = 0.02 and P = 0.03 respectively.Conclusion There were no significant differences between trauma in Ramadan and non-Ramadan months, except for the higher percentage of vascular and neurological injuries in Ramadan.Key words: children, head injury, motor vehicle accidents, Ramadan, Saudi, trauma, vascular injur

CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND CORPORATE PERFORMANCE EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE PUBLIC JORDANIAN SHAREHOLDINGS FIRMS LISTED IN THE AMMAN STOCK MARKET

The study investigates the effect of capital structure on the performance of the public Jordanian firms listed in Amman stock market. The study used multiple regression model represented by ordinary least squares (OLS) as a technique to examine what is the effect of capital structure on the performance by applying on 76 firms (53 industrial firms and 23 service corporation) for the period(2001-2006).The results of the study concluded that capital structure associated negatively and statistically with firm performance on the study sample generally. In addition, the study found out that there was no significant difference to the impact of the financial leverage between high financial leverage firms and low financial leverage firms on their performance. Finally, the study also showed that the effect of financial leverage on the basis of the growth that there is no difference between the financial leverage of high growth firms and low growth firms on the performance, which it was negatively and statistically

The impact of surgery for vulval cancer upon health-related quality of life and pelvic floor outcomes during the first year of treatment: A longitudinal, mixed methods study

© 2015 The Authors.Objective: To measure the long-term impact of surgical treatment for vulval cancer upon health-related quality of life and pelvic floor outcomes during the first year of therapy. Methods: Prospective, longitudinal, mixed-methods study. Twenty-three women aged >18 years with a new diagnosis of vulval cancer were recruited. The EORTC QLQ C30, SF-36 and an electronic pelvic floor assessment questionnaire (ePAQ-PF) were administered at baseline (pre-treatment) and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-treatment. Mixed effects repeated measures models (all adjusted for age and BMI) were used to investigate changes over time and differences between cancer stage. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 11 of the women and analysed using a thematic approach. Results: Mean age was 59.9 years (SD=15.3; range=23.8-86.6 yrs). Mean BMI was 30.0 (SD=4.5; range=24.4-38.2). Sixteen women had early (Stage 1 to 2B), and seven women had advanced stage disease (Stage 3 to 4B). Questionnaire scores revealed that physical and social functioning, fatigue, pain and general sex life were significantly worse at 12 months than pre-treatment (p=< 0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed multiple treatment side effects which were perceived as severe and enduring. Women with advanced vulval cancer had significantly worse SF-36 mental health scores at 12 months compared to women with early stage disease (p=0.037). Conclusions: Surgery for vulval cancer has long-term implications which can be persistent 12 months post-treatment. High rates of morbidity relating to lymphoedema and sexual function re-enforce the need for specialist clinics to support women who suffer these complications

Unexpected differential metabolic responses of Campylobacter jejuni to the abundant presence of glutamate and fucose

Introduction: Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne bacterial enteritis in humans, and yet little is known in regard to how genetic diversity and metabolic capabilities among isolates affect their metabolic phenotype and pathogenicity. Objectives: For instance, the C. jejuni 11168 strain can utilize both l-fucose and l-glutamate as a carbon source, which provides the strain with a competitive advantage in some environments and in this study we set out to assess the metabolic response of C. jejuni 11168 to the presence of l-fucose and l-glutamate in the growth medium. Methods: To achieve this, untargeted hydrophilic liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was used to obtain metabolite profiles of supernatant extracts obtained at three different time points up to 24 h. Results: This study identified both the depletion and the production and subsequent release of a multitude of expected and unexpected metabolites during the growth of C. jejuni 11168 under three different conditions. A large set of standards allowed identification of a number of metabolites. Further mass spectrometry fragmentation analysis allowed the additional annotation of substrate-specific metabolites. The results show that C. jejuni 11168 upon l-fucose addition indeed produces degradation products of the fucose pathway. Furthermore, methionine was faster depleted from the medium, consistent with previously-observed methionine auxotrophy. Conclusions: Moreover, a multitude of not previously annotated metabolites in C. jejuni were found to be increased specifically upon l-fucose addition. These metabolites may well play a role in the pathogenicity of this C. jejuni strain.</p

Digital workflow for fabrication of bespoke facemask in burn rehabilitation with smartphone 3D scanner and desktop 3D printing: clinical case study

We present a digital workflow for the production of custom facial orthosis used for burn scar management using smartphone three-dimensional (3D) scanner and desktop 3D printing. 3D facial scan of a 48-year-old lady with facial burn scars was obtained. 3D modeling with open-source programs were used to create facemask then 3D printed using rigid polylactic acid (PLA) filament and semi-rigid thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Conventional facemask was used as a control. Each mask was worn for 7 days. Primary outcomes were level of comfort, and adherence to treatment. The conventional facemask was the most convenient followed by the TPU-facemask (mean comfort score of 9/10 and 8.7/10, respectively). Patient’s compliance was high for both TPU and conventional masks, each was worn for at least 21 hours/day for 7 days. On the contrary, PLA-facemask was not well tolerated. The proposed digital workflow is simple, patient-friendly and can be adopted for resource-intensive healthcare