A study of compliment responses among male and female Egyptian undergraduate students

The present study aims to detect the variations in the compliment responses (CRs) between male and female Egyptian undergraduates, adding new dimensions to the study of CRs in the Egyptian context generally and among males and females specifically. The outcomes of the study will provide implications about the linguistic forms of compliment responses across males and females at the undergraduate level and also about the social decorum and value systems of Egyptian teenagers represented by university students. A similar study was piloted in the spring semester of 2013, with a small convenient sample (28 students from a private University in Cairo). The tools for collecting data, for the current study, were an eight-point discourse completion task (DCT) and field notes. The sample for the current study is composed of 120 DCT takers and 83 collected field notes, which make a total of 1042 compliment responses. The compliments were labeled and categorized into 25 micro categories and then grouped into four macro categories (accept-reject-evade and other). The analysis of the data showed that males and females preferred accepting compliments and that rejecting rarely happens. The findings based on the micro analysis also revealed how differently males and females utilize compliment responses in terms of politeness, meaning conveyed and language

From the Arab World to the United States of America: The Wellness of Arab Graduate Women Studying in the U.S.

The pursuit of higher education symbolizes a profound and transformative journey, particularly for international students who embark on the path of studying abroad. This dissertation undertakes an in-depth exploration of the well-being of Arab women pursuing their graduate studies in the United States (US), emphasizing four crucial dimensions of wellness: social, mental/emotional, physical, and financial well-being. Employing a qualitative research methodology, this study delves into the multifaceted experiences of this specific student population and investigates how these experiences impact them. Through a series of interviews and rigorous qualitative analysis, we illuminate the distinct challenges and opportunities that Arab graduate students encounter in both their academic pursuits and personal lives as they navigate the educational system and life in the US. The research engages with a group of seven participants, each contributing a unique perspective to our exploration of Arab women graduate students\u27 wellness in the United States. These participants, who will be referred to by pseudonyms throughout the study, come from various educational backgrounds and regions of the Arab world, including Kurdistan, Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. The findings uncover key insights into the factors that significantly contribute to the overall wellness of Arab women graduate students. These insights include the critical role of cultural adaptation, the importance of robust social support networks, the pivotal role of mental health resources, providing health system awareness, the significance of access to culturally appropriate food, and the need for awareness about the financial systems. These elements collectively influence and shape the well-being of these students in their academic journey. This dissertation did not only provide an understanding of the wellness dynamics experienced by Arab female graduate students and the strategies they employ for adaptation but also offers insights for academic institutions, policymakers, and student support services. By recognizing and addressing the unique challenges and needs of this student demographic, institutions can work toward enhancing the overall well-being and success of international students in their academic pursuits. In summary, this research illuminates the transformative journey undertaken by Arab female graduate students in the United States. It underscores the importance of considering holistic wellness and provides a roadmap for cultivating a supportive and enriching academic environment for international students

Vehicle Routing Problem Instances: Application to Multi-UAV Mission Planning

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83659/1/AIAA-2010-8435-207.pd

Durability Performance of One-Part Geopolymer Versus Two-Part Geopolymer and Portland Cement Mortar

The investigations in the field of geopolymer binders indicated that this new material has a great potential to be an alternative to cement to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. On the other hand, it was found that the traditional geopolymer has multiple defects, including the presence of viscous corrosive solutions. Researchers were interested in solving this problem and the traditional type was developed into one-part geopolymer and the need for solutions became in its composition and it became possible for this material to be an alternative to cement. But until now there are unexplained issues about one part geopolymers. In this instance, this study aims towards the investigated the fresh and hardened properties of one-part geopolymer mortar versus two-part geopolymer mortar and PC. The fresh and hardened properties that include workability, compressive strength, sulfate resistance, acid resistance and heat resistance were studied for samples cured at 30 OC and compared to PC samples cured by immersing in water. Moreover scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was investigated to support the test results. The results showed that, workability of one-part geopolymer mortar was enhanced by adding fly ash (FA). Moreover, the results revealed that higher compressive strength was achieved by adding ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and one-part geopolymer mortar exhibited superior resistance to sulfate, acid and heat by compared to PC. According to a SEM test one-part geopolymer mixes including GGBS were found to be more homogenous and dense than those containing F

Durability Performance of One-Part Geopolymer Versus Two-Part Geopolymer and Portland Cement Mortar

The investigations in the field of geopolymer binders indicated that this new material has a great potential to be an alternative to cement to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. On the other hand, it was found that the traditional geopolymer has multiple defects, including the presence of viscous corrosive solutions. Researchers were interested in solving this problem and the traditional type was developed into one-part geopolymer and the need for solutions became in its composition and it became possible for this material to be an alternative to cement. But until now there are unexplained issues about one part geopolymers. In this instance, this study aims towards the investigated the fresh and hardened properties of one-part geopolymer mortar versus two-part geopolymer mortar and PC. The fresh and hardened properties that include workability, compressive strength, sulfate resistance, acid resistance and heat resistance were studied for samples cured at 30 OC and compared to PC samples cured by immersing in water. Moreover scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was investigated to support the test results. The results showed that, workability of one-part geopolymer mortar was enhanced by adding fly ash (FA). Moreover, the results revealed that higher compressive strength was achieved by adding ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and one-part geopolymer mortar exhibited superior resistance to sulfate, acid and heat by compared to PC. According to a SEM test one-part geopolymer mixes including GGBS were found to be more homogenous and dense than those containing F

Calibration-free Text Entry Using Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements

In this paper, we propose a calibration-free gaze-based text entry system that uses smooth pursuit eye movements. We report on our implementation, which improves over prior work on smooth pursuit text entry by 1) eliminating the need of calibration using motion correlation, 2) increasing input rate from 3.34 to 3.41 words per minute, 3) featuring text suggestions that were trained on 10,000 lexicon sentences recommended in the literature. We report on a user study (N=26) which shows that users are able to eye type at 3.41 words per minutes without calibration and without user training. Qualitative feedback also indicates that users positively perceive the system. Our work is of particular benefit for disabled users and for situations when voice and tactile input are not feasible (e.g., in noisy environments or when the hands are occupied)

FLT3 receptor/CD135 expression by flow cytometry in acute myeloid leukemia: Relation to FLT3 gene mutations and mRNA transcripts

Background: Alterations of the FLT3 gene are the most frequent molecular aberrations seen at diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Two main types of FLT3 mutations have been the most commonly detected; internal tandem duplication (ITD) in the juxtamembrane domain and point mutation D835Y in the tyrosine kinase domain (TKD). Both classes of mutations result in constitutive activation of FLT3 receptor/CD135.Aim: To assess the frequency of FLT3 gene mutations (ITD and TKD D835Y) and the flow cytometric expression of FLT3 receptor/CD135 among AML patients to define the role for FLT3 receptor expression in predicting FLT3 gene mutational status and mRNA transcript level.Subjects and methods: Eighty AML patients at diagnosis and 20 control subjects were enrolled. FLT3 receptor/ CD135 expression, FLT3 gene mutations, and FLT3 transcript level were evaluated by flow cytometry, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR, respectively. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was done to stratify patients into favorable, intermediate, and poor cytogenetic risk groups.Results: FLT3-ITD was detected in 22.5% AML patients, while none had FLT3-TKD D835Y mutation. A cutoff value of >17% was assigned to define FLT3 receptor/CD135+ cases. FLT3 receptor/CD135 and FLT3 transcripts were overexpressed in 100% AML patients; higher levels were found among AML-M5 subtype and poor cytogenetic group. AML patients harboring FLT3-ITD showed a trend for higher FLT3 receptor/CD135 expression and FLT3 transcript level than those with wild-type FLT3. FLT3 receptor/CD135 >49% was predictive for FLT3-ITD. A positive correlation was found between FLT3 receptor/CD135 expression and FLT3 transcript level.Conclusion: Evaluation of FLT3 receptor/CD135 expression by flow cytometry at diagnosis of AML could constitute a predictor for the FLT3-ITD mutational status and FLT3 transcript level.Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia, CD135, FLT3 receptor, FLT3 mRNA, FLT3-ITD, FLT3-TK

Immune-boosting effect of natural remedies and supplements on progress of, and recovery from COVID-19 infection

Purpose: To investigate the effect of natural remedies and supplements on the progress of andrecovery from COVID-19 infection, and the role of safety precautions in controlling the spread of its causative pathogen.Methods: A questionnaire was designed and electronically distributed among previously infected individuals across countries. The survey included questions about the participants’ demographic information, medical history, how they were infected, symptoms they have experienced, where they were isolated, the degree of precautions taken against the virus, and their consumption of natural remedies or supplements before and during the infection period.Results: The results showed that natural remedies and supplements are widely consumed among COVID-19 patients both before and during infection, either as a single remedy or in combination with other remedies. As the age of the participants increased, the incidence of their hospitalization increased. Significant results were observed when comparing the severity of infection with the number of natural remedies and supplements taken before (P 0.000) and during the infection (P 0.003).Conclusion: Increasing the intake of natural remedies and/or supplements before and during COVID-19 infection lowers the severity of the infection. Vitamin C, honey, and citrus fruits such as orange and lemon were the major remedies consumed before and during infection. A large number of the participants that experienced severe COVID-19 conditions, did not consume any natural remedies or supplements