The association between microscopic colitis and celiac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies suggested that celiac disease (CD) may be associated with microscopic colitis (MC); however, most were limited by a small sample size or the main scope of interest. We aimed to analyze previously published literature on this association to determine its extent and significance. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in PubMed, Embase, PubMed Central, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases from inception through January 2022. The PRISMA guideline was followed for data extraction. Effect estimates were extracted and combined using random effect, the generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird and pooled odds ratio (OR), and event rates (ER) were calculated. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Forest plots were generated and publication bias assessed via conventional techniques. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies with a total of 22,802 patients with MC were included in this analysis. CD was significantly associated with MC (odds ratio [OR] 8.276, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.888-11.632; P\u3c0.001). The ER for MC in CD patients was 6.2% (95%CI 4.1-9.2%; P\u3c0.001), while the ER for CD in MC patients was 6.1% (95%CI 3.9-9.5%; P\u3c0.001). CD was prevalent in both types of MC: 5.2% (95%CI 2.2-12.1%; P\u3c0.001) in collagenous colitis and 6.3% (95%CI 3.4-11.5%; P\u3c0.001) in lymphocytic colitis. We found no publication bias, according to funnel plots and Egger\u27s regression asymmetry testing. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis confirms a statistically significant association between CD and MC, with a high prevalence of CD in both types of MC. Gastroenterologists should be wary of this association when evaluating patients with either disease, particularly patients with a suboptimal response to first-line therapy

A Multi-Stage Classification Approach for IoT Intrusion Detection Based on Clustering with Oversampling

This research received no external funding. The APC is funded by Prince Sultan UniversityThe authors would like to acknowledge the support of Prince Sultan University for paying the Article Processing Charges (APC) of this publication.Intrusion detection of IoT-based data is a hot topic and has received a lot of interests from researchers and practitioners since the security of IoT networks is crucial. Both supervised and unsupervised learning methods are used for intrusion detection of IoT networks. This paper proposes an approach of three stages considering a clustering with reduction stage, an oversampling stage, and a classification by a Single Hidden Layer Feed-Forward Neural Network (SLFN) stage. The novelty of the paper resides in the technique of data reduction and data oversampling for generating useful and balanced training data and the hybrid consideration of the unsupervised and supervised methods for detecting the intrusion activities. The experiments were evaluated in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and G-mean and divided into four steps: measuring the effect of the data reduction with clustering, the evaluation of the framework with basic classifiers, the effect of the oversampling technique, and a comparison with basic classifiers. The results show that SLFN classification technique and the choice of Support Vector Machine and Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SVM-SMOTE) with a ratio of 0.9 and the k value of 3 for k-means++ clustering technique give better results than other values and other classification techniques.Prince Sultan Universit

Comparative analysis of classification techniques for network fault management

Network troubleshooting is a significant process. Many studies were conducted about it. The first step in the troubleshooting procedures is represented in collecting information. It's collected in order to identify the problems. Syslog messages which are sent by almost all network devices include a massive amount of data that concern the network problems. Based on several studies, it was found that analyzing syslog data (which) can be a guideline for network problems and their causes. The detection of network problems can become more efficient if the detected problems have been classified based on the network layers. Classifying syslog data requires identifying the syslog messages that describe the network problems for each layer. It also requires taking into account the formats of syslog for vendors' devices. The present study aimed to propose a method for classifying the syslog messages which identify the network problem.This classification is conducted based on the network layers. This method uses data mining instrument to classify the syslog messages. The description part of the syslog message was used for carrying out the classification process.The relevant syslog messages were identified. The features were then selected to train the classifiers. Six classification algorithms were learned; LibSVM, SMO, KNN, Naïve Bayes, J48, and Random Forest. A real data set was obtained from an educational network device. This dataset was used for the prediction stage. It was found that that LibSVM outperforms other classifiers in terms of the probability rate of the classified instances where it was in the range of 89.90%-32.80%. Furthermore, the validation results indicate that the probability rate of the correctly classified instances is >70%. © 2020 Turkiye Klinikleri. All rights reserved

Granulomatous Hepatitis Secondary to Histoplasmosis in an Immunocompetent Patient

Histoplasma capsulatum is the most common endemic mycosis in the United States and usually occurs in certain geographic areas, such as the Mississippi or Ohio River valleys. Histoplasmosis usually causes a mild disease in the immunocompetent but can progress to disseminated disease in patients with impaired immunity. Granulomatous hepatitis as a manifestation of disseminated histoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients is extremely rare. We report the case of a 62-year-old immunocompetent gentleman with a history of histoplasmosis who presented with abdominal pain, elevated liver enzymes, who was diagnosed with granulomatous hepatitis secondary to histoplasmosis

The Effect of Applying Balanced Scorecard on Earnings Quality among Banks Listed in Palestine Exchange

This paper aims to verify the impact of applying balanced scorecard on earnings quality controlled by Firm (Bank) size of banks listed on Palestine Exchange during the 2011–2019 period. To achieve this objective, a panel model relating to the dependent variable (Earnings quality) and independent variables (Balanced Scorecard components) with the control variable (Firm Size) was estimated, the researchers used financial reports and disclosures of the banks listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange as a tool to collect data, in addition to books, articles, and the previous studies. Descriptive quantitative research design was employed because of the use of quantitative data as proxies for both independent and dependent variables. Panel research strategy was applied for obtaining the cross sectional and longitudinal dimensions. The relationships between the study variables (Earnings quality, BSC components, and Firm Size) were estimated using Eviews version 7 (a statistical software). The results showed statistically significant negative effect of Customer perspective (CUS) on Earnings Quality (EQ); statistically significant positive effect of Internal Business Process perspective (IBP) on Earnings Quality (EQ); and statistically significant positive effect of Firm Size (FS) on Earnings Quality (EQ). In addition, the results showed no statistically significant effect of financial perspective (FP), Social perspective (SP), Learning and Growth perspective (LG), and on Earnings Quality (EQ). Furthermore, the results demonstrated that Earnings Quality of banks listed on Palestine Exchange was not high

Healthcare Providers' Knowledge and Current Practice of Pain Assessment and Management: How Much Progress Have We Made?

Context: Despite improvement in pain management and availability of clinical treatment guidelines, patients in Jordan are still suffering from pain. Negative consequences of undertreated pain are being recognized as a reason for further illnesses and poor quality of life. Healthcare providers (HCPs) are responsible for relieving pain of their patients. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of HCPs toward pain management in Jordan. Methods: A 16-item questionnaire with agree or disagree options was given to 662 HCPs in seven hospitals in Jordan who volunteered to participate in the study. Following data collection, the responses were coded and entered into SPSS. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.004) in percentage scores between physicians (36%) and pharmacists (36%) versus nurses (24%). The level of knowledge was the best among physicians, followed by pharmacists specifically in the area of cancer pain management. Nurses scored the lowest for knowledge of pain assessment and management among HCPs. However, HCPs overall scores indicated insufficient knowledge specifically in relation to pain assessment and management among children

Small Bowel Metastasis as a Presentation of Testicular Seminoma

Testicular germ cell tumors account for 95% of testicular cancers in men with approximately 71,000 patients being diagnosed with testicular cancer every year. The overall survival of testicular germ cell tumors is approximately 95%. However, the prognosis becomes less favorable when distant metastasis is present. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract metastasis occurs in less than 5% of patients with non-seminomatous tumors, and in less than 1% in patients with pure seminomas. GI metastasis usually involves the colon, esophagus, and stomach with the most common symptoms of GI metastasis being diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and obstruction. We discuss the case of a 42-year-old male patient with GI manifestations as the first presentation of testicular seminoma with metastasis to the small bowel. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a small bowel mass, and the diagnosis was confirmed with histopathologic examination of endoscopic biopsy samples. The patient subsequently underwent chemotherapy treatment with close surveillance. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in young male patients, especially when associated with symptoms like unexplained weight loss, constitutional symptoms, and testicular pain or swelling. Metastasis to the GI tract from the testis should be promptly diagnosed and managed, as the overall survival rates can significantly decrease with the delay of diagnosis

Humidification-Dehumidification (HDH) Desalination and Other Volume Reduction Techniques for Produced Water Treatment

Volume reduction has been suggested as a novel method to tackle the various challenges associated with produced water. The present solution offers an economical and environmentally friendly solution to treat a large bulk of produced water that may overwhelm conventional water treatment methods. The current study provides a review of the various volume reduction technologies including freeze concentration, reverse osmosis, and humidification and dehumidification desalination systems. Focus is concentrated on the general HDH technologies in addition to its integration with refrigeration cycles for conditioned air production, and the power cycles for power generation. The GOR, freshwater yield, and efficiencies of the integrated HDH systems were re-viewed. Lastly, innovation in the HDH desalination technology is discussed with emphasis on its incorporation with the MVC process.Scopu

Nexus between Intellectual Capital and Financial Performance Sustainability: Evidence from Listed Jordanian Firms

Purpose: The authors observe the effect of exploring the reality of Intellectual Capital (IC) and its impact on the financial performance of Jordanian industrial firms in Amman Stock Exchange. This empirical research explores the effect of intellectual capital on financial performance using data from 36 Jordanian industrial firms listed in Amman Stock Exchange for the period 2016-2020. The Value-Added Intellectual coefficient (VAIC) was adopted to measure the intellectual capital, while the return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and earnings per share (EPS) were adopted as measures of the companys financial performance. The effect of IC was tested by using statistical analysis, dependent on the data obtained from annual financial statements. The results showed that the IC has a significant and positive effect on profitability due to its significant effect on ROA and EPS. However, it has not been proven that IC affects the ROE. This research extends the research on IC and aims to enrich studies in this field, especially in the Jordanian market. It reflects the reality of Intellectual Capital and its impact on industrial firms’ performance in Jordan as an example of developing countrie

Impact of CO2 concentration and ambient conditions on microalgal growth and nutrient removal from wastewater by a photobioreactor

The increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration and the release of nutrients from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are environmental issues linked to several impacts on ecosystems. Numerous technologies have been employed to resolves these issues, nonetheless, the cost and sustainability are still a concern. Recently, the use of microalgae appears as a cost-effective and sustainable solution because they can effectively uptake CO2 and nutrients resulting in biomass production that can be processed into valuable products. In this study single (Spirulina platensis (SP.PL) and mixed indigenous microalgae (MIMA) strains were employed, over a 20-month period, for simultaneous removal of CO2 from flue gases and nutrient from wastewater under ambient conditions of solar irradiation and temperature. The study was performed at a pilot scale photo-bioreactor and the effect of feed CO2 gas concentration in the range (2.5–20%) on microalgae growth and biomass production, carbon dioxide bio-fixation rate, and the removal of nutrients and organic matters from wastewater was assessed. The MIMA culture performed significantly better than the monoculture, especially with respect to growth and CO2 bio-fixation, during the mild season; against this, the performance was comparable during the hot season. Optimum performance was observed at 10% CO2 feed gas concentration, though MIMA was more temperature and CO2 concentration sensitive. MIMA also provided greater removal of COD and nutrients (~83% and >99%) than SP.PL under all conditions studied. The high biomass productivities and carbon bio-fixation rates (0.796–0.950 gdw·L−1·d−1 and 0.542–1.075 gC·L−1·d−1 contribute to the economic sustainability of microalgae as CO2 removal process. Consideration of operational energy revealed that there is a significant energy benefit from cooling to sustain the highest productivities on the basis of operating energy alone, particularly if the indigenous culture is used