559 research outputs found
An analytical performance model for the Spidergon NoC
Networks on chip (NoC) emerged as a promising alternative to bus-based interconnect networks to handle the increasing communication requirements of the large systems on chip. Employing an appropriate topology for a NoC is of high importance mainly because it typically trade-offs between cross-cutting concerns such as performance and cost. The spidergon topology is a novel architecture which is proposed recently for NoC domain. The objective of the spidergon NoC has been addressing the need for a fixed and optimized topology to realize cost effective multi-processor SoC (MPSoC) development [7]. In this paper we analyze the traffic behavior in the spidergon scheme and present an analytical evaluation of the average message latency in the architecture. We prove the validity of the analysis by comparing the model against the results produced by a discreteevent simulator
The Role of Saudi Universities in Spreading the Culture of Green Education in Light of the āGreen Saudi Initiativeā
In this paper, we analyze the role of Saudi universities in promoting green education culture and identified obstacles and ways to overcome them. A questionnaire was used to gather data from 383 students from various universities. Results showed that green education culture in Saudi universities was rated as average, while obstacles were rated high. Ways to overcome these obstacles were also rated high. Gender, university, and academic level did not significantly affect the results. Recommendations included offering specialized courses on environmental culture, employing student activities focused on environmental issues, and implementing a renewable energy management project in Saudi universities
Education Vision for National Day and Identity Enhancement of Saudi University Students
In this paper, we propose an educational vision for enhancing the national identity of Saudi university students through defining the National Day. A questionnaire with 26 items was used to gather data from 537 students. Results showed that National Day plays a significant role in enhancing the religious, historical, cultural, and intellectual dimensions of the Saudi national identity and facing its challenges. A proposed educational vision was presented, and the study recommended its adoption and implementation by Saudi universities
A Proposal to Enhance Sustainability in Saudi Universities in Light of the Saudi Green Initiative
The development of sustainability, the improvement of the quality of life, and the protection of future generations have become of prime importance in light of climate changes and carbon emissions. Universities are at the top of institutions that should participate in creating an environmentally friendly infrastructure. This study thus aimed to explore the extent to which Saudi universities achieve sustainability in the light of the Saudi Green Initiative from the faculty membersā perspective. Surely, this investigation would produce a proposal to promote sustainability in Saudi universities. A questionnaire consisting of five dimensions, namely academic sustainability, community partnership, resource management, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership was developed and administered to 120 faculty members from five Saudi universities. The participantsā ratings of Saudi universitiesā achievement of sustainability dimensions ranged from high to moderate. Based on the results, a proposal was offered to take sustainability in Saudi universities to a higher level
Investigating the influence of a powder compact's geometry on its pore structure and optical properties using terahertz spectroscopy
In this study, terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is used to analyze how the geometry of a compact affects its pore structure (pore shape and orientation). By using flat-faced and biconvex compacts, it was evident from our analysis that pores tend to assume specific shapes and orientations based on the compact's geometry and this was found to significantly affect the extracted optical properties of samples prepared by mixing a material with polyethylene (PE) as diluent and subsequent compaction. However, such sensitivity to the pore properties opens a number of industrial applications such as for quality testing of pharmaceutical tablets. A comparison made between the PE based compacts and a set of pharmaceutical tablets prepared from the same formulation has revealed that flatfaced and biconvex compacts possess different pore geometries and hence different optical properties
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Syngeneic animal models of tobacco-associated oral cancer reveal the activity of in situ anti-CTLA-4.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Tobacco use is the main risk factor for HNSCC, and tobacco-associated HNSCCs have poor prognosis and response to available treatments. Recently approved anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors showed limited activity (ā¤20%) in HNSCC, highlighting the need to identify new therapeutic options. For this, mouse models that accurately mimic the complexity of the HNSCC mutational landscape and tumor immune environment are urgently needed. Here, we report a mouse HNSCC model system that recapitulates the human tobacco-related HNSCC mutanome, in which tumors grow when implanted in the tongue of immunocompetent mice. These HNSCC lesions have similar immune infiltration and response rates to anti-PD-1 (ā¤20%) immunotherapy as human HNSCCs. Remarkably, we find that >70% of HNSCC lesions respond to intratumoral anti-CTLA-4. This syngeneic HNSCC mouse model provides a platform to accelerate the development of immunotherapeutic options for HNSCC
Predicting the risk to develop preeclampsia in the first trimester combining promoter variant -98A/C of LGALS13 (placental protein 13), Black ethnicity, previous preeclampsia, obesity, and maternal age
BACKGROUND: We studied LGALS13 [Placental Protein 13 (PP13)] promoter DNA polymorphisms in preeclampsia (PE) prediction, given PP13ās effects on hypotension, angiogenesis and immunotolerance.
METHODS: We retrieved 67 PE (49 term, 18 preterm) cases and 196 matched controls from first trimester plasma samples prospectively collected at King's College Hospital, London. Cell-free DNA was extracted and the four LGALS13 exons were sequenced after PCR amplification. Expression of LGALS13 promoter reporter constructs were determined in BeWo trophoblast-like cells with luciferase assays.
RESULTS: A/C genotype in ā98 position was the lowest in term PE compared to controls (p<0.032), similar to a South African cohort. Control but not all PE allele frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p=0.036). The Odds ratio for term PE calculated from prior risk, the A/A genotype and black ethnicity was 14 (p<0.001). In luciferase assays, the LGALS13 promoter ā-98A" variant had 13% (p=0.04) and 26% (p<0.001) lower expression than the "-98C" variant in non-differentiated and differentiated BeWo cells, respectively. After 48-hour differentiation, there was 4.55- fold increase in expression of "-98C" variant versus 3.85-fold of "-98A" variant (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Lower LGALS13 (PP13) expression by the "-98A/A" genotype appears to impose higher risk to develop PE and could aid in PE prediction
Management of Extremity Venous Thrombosis in Neonates and Infants: An Experience From a Resource Challenged Setting
We aimed to evaluate the outcome of different treatment modalities for extremity venous thrombosis (VT) in neonates and infants, highlighting the current debate on their best tool of management. This retrospective study took place over a 9-year period from January 2009 to December 2017. All treated patients were referred to the vascular and pediatric surgery departments from the neonatal intensive care unit. All patients underwent a thorough history-taking as well as general clinical and local examination of the affected limb. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group I included those who underwent a conservative treated with the sole administration of unfractionated heparin (UFH), whereas group II included those who were treated with UFH plus warfarin. Sixty-three patients were included in this study. They were 36 males and 27 females. Their age ranged from 3 to 302 days. Forty-one (65%) patients had VT in the upper limb, whereas the remaining 22 (35%) had lower extremity VT. The success rate of the nonsurgical treatment was accomplished in 81% of patients. The remaining 19% underwent limb severing, due to established gangrene. The Kaplan-Meier survival method revealed a highly significant increase in both mean and median survival times in those groups treated with heparin and warfarin compared to heparin-only group (P < .001). Nonoperative treatment with anticoagulation or observation (ie, wait-and-see policy) alone may be an easily applicable, effective, and a safe modality for management of VT in neonates and infants, especially in developing countries with poor or highly challenged resource settings
The Patriarchal Bargain in a Context of Rapid Changes to Normative Gender Roles: Young Arab Womenās Role Conflict in Qatar
Social norms in patriarchal countries in the Middle East are changing at differing rates. In Qatar, expectations about education have shifted, and womenās participation in higher education is normative. However, womenās participation in the workforce remains relatively low, and women still are expected to perform all household and child-rearing activities. Interviews with 27 18ā25Ā year-old Qatari women enrolled in college in Qatar are used to illustrate the conflict between norms about education, workforce, and family. Many young women resolve this normative conflict by giving preference to family over work and education. Other women hold conflicting norms and goals for their future without acknowledging the normative conflict. Overall, young women in this sample feared divorce, were uncertain about customary family safety nets, and thus desired financial independence so they would be able to support themselves if they were left alone later in life due to divorce, or the death of their husband. The Qatari government should revisit the appropriateness of continuing to emphasize the patriarchal family structure and socially conservative family norms, if they desire to advance women in their society
Some psychosocial and cultural factors in the Arab-Israeli conflict: a review of the literature
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66497/2/10.1177_002200277201600210.pd
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