My Teaching Philosophy with Particular Reference to Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

It has been due on my part to share my own teaching philosophy with my colleagues in the University in general and other language instructors engaged in this noble profession. Needless to say, creating our own teaching philosophy is an innovative practice and it should be a meaningful part of us as second/foreign language teachers since it states our teaching/learning vision and wisdom, observations, experiences, goals, beliefs, level of professionalism and self-development among many other things. However, in real life situation, we do not often implement all our innovative ideas that we possess in our teaching philosophy. The main objective of the present study is to share my decades of experiences as a language instructor as a student of linguistics as well as an English language instructor

The Effectiveness of the RAFT Strategy in Developing Creative Writing Skills of Eighth Grade Students in Public Schools

The creative writing is very important for students; where it develops their imagination and helps them choose the vocabulary in which to express their ideas. The RAFT strategy is useful to develop students' creative writing skills. The current research aimed to identify the effectiveness of the RAFT strategy in developing the creative writing skills of eighth-grade students in public schools in the State of Qatar. The research sample consisted of two groups: the controlled group and the experimental one. Each group contained (46) male and female students from the eighth grade. The RAFT strategy was applied to the experimental group students. The traditional method was also applied to the students of the control group. The students of the two groups were also pre-and post-tested in the creative writing skills test. The results of the research revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the students of the control group and students of the experimental group in the post-test of creative writing in favour of the experimental group. The research also recommended employing the RAFT strategy to develop creative writing skills in different educational stages. Keywords: RAFT strategy - creative writing - Arabic language DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-32-03 Publication date: November 30th 202

Splenectomy in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in Tabuk

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease is a common genetic disease in Saudi Arabia; it is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by production of abnormal hemoglobin S and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Acute splenic sequestration is a life-threatening complication for this disease. Prophylactic splenectomy is the only effective strategy for preventing future life-threatening episodes.AIM: The aim of this study was to study hospital records for all children aged 2 to 12 year old with Sickle cell disease who underwent splenectomy in Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.METHODS: Records of 24 children (13 males, 11 females) who underwent splenectomy in surgery department of King Salman North West Armed Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia between 2008 and 2015 were reviewed retrospectively and analyzed for age, sex, indications for splenectomy, surgical technique, preoperative and postoperative length of stay, operative and postoperative complications, acute chest syndrome, painful crises, blood transfusion and fever (preoperative and postoperative).RESULTS: We stressed on the information about the details of operation, the frequency of blood transfusion, fever, acute chest syndrome and painful crisis before and after operation.CONCLUSION: Here we found that blood transfusion frequency decreased after splenectomy

Deep Learning for Brain Age Estimation: A Systematic Review

Over the years, Machine Learning models have been successfully employed on neuroimaging data for accurately predicting brain age. Deviations from the healthy brain aging pattern are associated to the accelerated brain aging and brain abnormalities. Hence, efficient and accurate diagnosis techniques are required for eliciting accurate brain age estimations. Several contributions have been reported in the past for this purpose, resorting to different data-driven modeling methods. Recently, deep neural networks (also referred to as deep learning) have become prevalent in manifold neuroimaging studies, including brain age estimation. In this review, we offer a comprehensive analysis of the literature related to the adoption of deep learning for brain age estimation with neuroimaging data. We detail and analyze different deep learning architectures used for this application, pausing at research works published to date quantitatively exploring their application. We also examine different brain age estimation frameworks, comparatively exposing their advantages and weaknesses. Finally, the review concludes with an outlook towards future directions that should be followed by prospective studies. The ultimate goal of this paper is to establish a common and informed reference for newcomers and experienced researchers willing to approach brain age estimation by using deep learning model

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Case Reports1. A Late Presentation of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: Beware of TGFβ Receptor Mutations in Benign Joint Hypermobility

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) and dissections are not uncommon causes of sudden death in young adults. Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a rare, recently described, autosomal dominant, connective tissue disease characterized by aggressive arterial aneurysms, resulting from mutations in the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) receptor genes TGFBR1 and TGFBR2. Mean age at death is 26.1 years, most often due to aortic dissection. We report an unusually late presentation of LDS, diagnosed following elective surgery in a female with a long history of joint hypermobility. Methods: A 51-year-old Caucasian lady complained of chest pain and headache following a dural leak from spinal anaesthesia for an elective ankle arthroscopy. CT scan and echocardiography demonstrated a dilated aortic root and significant aortic regurgitation. MRA demonstrated aortic tortuosity, an infrarenal aortic aneurysm and aneurysms in the left renal and right internal mammary arteries. She underwent aortic root repair and aortic valve replacement. She had a background of long-standing joint pains secondary to hypermobility, easy bruising, unusual fracture susceptibility and mild bronchiectasis. She had one healthy child age 32, after which she suffered a uterine prolapse. Examination revealed mild Marfanoid features. Uvula, skin and ophthalmological examination was normal. Results: Fibrillin-1 testing for Marfan syndrome (MFS) was negative. Detection of a c.1270G > C (p.Gly424Arg) TGFBR2 mutation confirmed the diagnosis of LDS. Losartan was started for vascular protection. Conclusions: LDS is a severe inherited vasculopathy that usually presents in childhood. It is characterized by aortic root dilatation and ascending aneurysms. There is a higher risk of aortic dissection compared with MFS. Clinical features overlap with MFS and Ehlers Danlos syndrome Type IV, but differentiating dysmorphogenic features include ocular hypertelorism, bifid uvula and cleft palate. Echocardiography and MRA or CT scanning from head to pelvis is recommended to establish the extent of vascular involvement. Management involves early surgical intervention, including early valve-sparing aortic root replacement, genetic counselling and close monitoring in pregnancy. Despite being caused by loss of function mutations in either TGFβ receptor, paradoxical activation of TGFβ signalling is seen, suggesting that TGFβ antagonism may confer disease modifying effects similar to those observed in MFS. TGFβ antagonism can be achieved with angiotensin antagonists, such as Losartan, which is able to delay aortic aneurysm development in preclinical models and in patients with MFS. Our case emphasizes the importance of timely recognition of vasculopathy syndromes in patients with hypermobility and the need for early surgical intervention. It also highlights their heterogeneity and the potential for late presentation. Disclosures: The authors have declared no conflicts of interes

PANC Study (Pancreatitis: A National Cohort Study): national cohort study examining the first 30 days from presentation of acute pancreatitis in the UK

Abstract Background Acute pancreatitis is a common, yet complex, emergency surgical presentation. Multiple guidelines exist and management can vary significantly. The aim of this first UK, multicentre, prospective cohort study was to assess the variation in management of acute pancreatitis to guide resource planning and optimize treatment. Methods All patients aged greater than or equal to 18 years presenting with acute pancreatitis, as per the Atlanta criteria, from March to April 2021 were eligible for inclusion and followed up for 30 days. Anonymized data were uploaded to a secure electronic database in line with local governance approvals. Results A total of 113 hospitals contributed data on 2580 patients, with an equal sex distribution and a mean age of 57 years. The aetiology was gallstones in 50.6 per cent, with idiopathic the next most common (22.4 per cent). In addition to the 7.6 per cent with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, 20.1 per cent of patients had a previous episode of acute pancreatitis. One in 20 patients were classed as having severe pancreatitis, as per the Atlanta criteria. The overall mortality rate was 2.3 per cent at 30 days, but rose to one in three in the severe group. Predictors of death included male sex, increased age, and frailty; previous acute pancreatitis and gallstones as aetiologies were protective. Smoking status and body mass index did not affect death. Conclusion Most patients presenting with acute pancreatitis have a mild, self-limiting disease. Rates of patients with idiopathic pancreatitis are high. Recurrent attacks of pancreatitis are common, but are likely to have reduced risk of death on subsequent admissions. </jats:sec

APPLICATION OF TABA’S MODEL IN EFFECTIVE LESSON PLANNING AT THE PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF KARACHI

Implementation of Taba's Model through lesson planning is crucial in primary education, especially in private schools in Karachi. It emphasizes teacher facilitation and student engagement in learning. Instead of individual reforms, schools should work together to ensure equal lesson planning and curriculum drafting for all students, benefiting both educationists and curriculum reformers. Karachi. A sample of 60 primary school teachers was drawn through stratified random sampling design. Quantitative research design was used. The data was collected through questionnaire and was analyzed through regression analysis. It was found that moderate consideration for different learning styles among respondents, with low variability and slight rightward skewness. 100% believe feedback creates awareness and improves preferences, while respondents don't believe in awareness or preference implications. The study found moderate learning styles consideration, strong association between feedback awareness and improved preferences, and positive correlation between Taba's model application and self-reflection feedback in effective lesson planning

Psoriasis and metabolic syndrome: Co-incidence or correlation

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic skin disease having effects on other organs. It has been linked to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and dyslipidemia. All of these components ultimately increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular morbidities. Several studies have been done in the western world to identify the presence of metabolic syndrome (or its components) in psoriatic patients. Aims and Objectives: Our study had been done with the objective of identifying the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psoriatics in comparison to normal population. Materials and Methods: The study was an institution-based case-control study. Subjects were recruited after obtaining informed consent. Cases of psoriasis were diagnosed clinically, and unrelated healthy volunteers served as controls. Inclusion criteria for cases were patients of clinically diagnosed psoriasis without any co-existent immune-suppressed conditions such as HIV, malignancy, or any other physiological conditions such as pregnancy or lactation that might influence metabolic syndrome. Smokers and alcoholics were also excluded from the study. Metabolic syndrome was defined by Adult treatment panel III criteria. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics were expressed as range, mean ± standard deviation, frequencies (number of cases), and whichever was appropriate. For analytical statistics, numerical data were analyzed using t-test or ANOVA test, and for categorical data, Chi-square and Fischer′s exact test were used. P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Abdominal obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6), hypertension (OR = 2.2), hyperglycemia (OR = 2.8), dyslipidemia (OR = 2.9), and metabolic syndrome (OR = 2.6) are associated with psoriasis. Conclusion: Psoriatic patients have an increased risk of developing abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia in comparison to general population. All these contribute to higher preponderance to metabolic syndrome