Uncovering the epidemiology of bladder cancer in the Arab world: A review of risk factors, molecular mechanisms, and clinical features

Objective:Bladder cancer(BC)is a significant public health concern in the Middle East and North Africa,but the epidemiology and clinicopathology of the disease and contributors to high mortality in this region remain poorly understood.The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the epidemiological features of BC in the Arab world and compare them to those in Western countries in order to improve the management of this disease.Methods:An extensive electronic search of the PubMed/PMC and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify all articles published until May 2022,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.A total of 95 articles were included in the final analysis after title,abstract,and full-text screening,with additional data obtained from the GLOBOCAN and WHO 2020 databases.

Celebrate Chinese New Year Together with the World

On December 22,the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution officially listing the Chinese New Year(also known as the Spring Festival),as a United Nations(UN)floating holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings,starting from 2024.

Irrigating Shared Prosperity The World Water Forum convened to explore solutions for the future of global water governance

Consensus was reached by delegates to the 10th World Water Forum that global water-related challenges remain acute,water resources are under serious threat,and wisdom,contributions,and cooperation from around the world are urgently required for water security and shared prosperity.

World Class Elite Breaststrokers Downward Kick EMG Muscle Activity of the Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps Femoris, Hamstring, Gastrocnemius Medialis, Rectus Abdominal, and Erector Spinae

This study analyzed the difference between using a downward breaststroke kick and a horizontal breaststroke kick in a sample of world class elite swimmers.We compared average muscle activity of the gluteus maximus,quadriceps femoris(vastus medialis and rectus femoris),hamstring/long head of the biceps femoris,gastrocnemius medialis,rectus abdominal,and erector spinae when using the downward breaststroke kick technique.We find that when this sample of swimmers utilized the downward breaststroke kick,max speed and velocity per stroke increased,measured by 12,788 EMG samples,where the results are highly correlated to duration of the aerodynamic buoyant force in breaststroke kick technique.The increases in performance observed from measuring the world class elite swimmers is highly correlated to the duration of the kick aerodynamic buoyant force.Among this sample of elite swimmers,the longer a swimmer demonstrates a buoyant force breaststroke kick,the lower the time in a 100 breaststroke.

Framework to Model User Request Access Patterns in the World Wide Web

In this paper, we present a novel approach to model user request patterns in the World Wide Web. Instead of focusing on the user traffic for web pages, we capture the user interaction at the object level of the web pages. Our framework model consists of three sub-models: one for user file access, one for web pages, and one for storage servers. Web pages are assumed to consist of different types and sizes of objects, which are characterized using several categories: articles, media, and mosaics. The model is implemented with a discrete event simulation and then used to investigate the performance of our system over a variety of parameters in our model. Our performance measure of choice is mean response time and by varying the composition of web pages through our categories, we find that our framework model is able to capture a wide range of conditions that serve as a basis for generating a variety of user request patterns. In addition, we are able to establish a set of parameters that can be used as base cases. One of the goals of this research is for the framework model to be general enough that the parameters can be varied such that it can serve as input for investigating other distributed applications that require the generation of user request access patterns.

Mental health in the virtual world:Challenges and opportunities in the metaverse era

Current rates of mental illness are worrisome.Mental illness mainly affects females and younger age groups.The use of the internet to deliver mental health care has been growing since 2020 and includes the implementation of novel mental health treatments using virtual reality,augmented reality,and artificial intelligence.A new three dimensional digital environment,known as the metaverse,has emerged as the next version of the Internet.Artificial intelligence,augmented reality,and virtual reality will create fully immersive,experiential,and interactive online environments in the metaverse.People will use a unique avatar to do anything they do in their“real”lives,including seeking and receiving mental health care.In this opinion review,we reflect on how the metaverse could reshape how we deliver mental health treatment,its opportunities,and its challenges.

A Many Worlds Interpretation of the Dark Universe

In this paper, we discuss a Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. The universe is viewed cosmologically as a fermionic fluid with a hydrostatic pressure from “Zitterbewegung”, the quantum “zig-zagging” of Dirac particles. At each point in space-time, the pressure from all possible velocity states existing in the Many Worlds sums to provide a dark energy. This provides a ratio of matter energy to pressure energy close to that observed experimentally. Visible matter is the matter observed or measured in a particular velocity state and dark matter is then considered as the unobserved fermion contributions from different orthogonal spatial directions.

Chinese Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Belief in a Just World Scale for College Students

This study aims to revise the Belief in a Just World Scale(BJWS)for Chinese college students and test its reliability and validity(construct validity,convergent and divergent validity).Two samples of 546 and 595 college students were selected,respectively,using stratified cluster random sampling.Item analysis,exploratory factor analysis(EFA),confirmatory factor analysis(CFA),reliability analysis and convergent and divergent validity tests were carried out.The results showed that the 13 items of the BJWS have good item discrimination.The corrected item–total correlation in the general belief in a just world subscale was found to range from 0.464 to 0.655,and that in the personal belief in a just world subscale was 0.553 to 0.715.The internal consistency coefficients of the revised version of the BJWS and its subscales are good.The EFA and CFA results show that the structure and items of the revised scale are the same as those of the original scale.Belief in a just world was found to have significant positive correlations with gratitude and empathy,and has a significant negative correlation with anxiety,thereby exhibiting good convergent and divergent validity.Therefore,the Chinese revised version of the BJWS has good reliability and validity.

The World Digital Education Alliance Officially Founded

Themed"Digital Education:Application,Sharing,and Innovation",the 2024 World Digital Education Conference opened in Shanghai on January 3Oth.Secretary of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Chen Jining,Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Cai Dafeng,and President of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference Simona-Mirela Miculescu attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Making the World a Better Place for All

In bidding farewell to 2023,Chinese President Xi Jinping’s New Year message,with its commitment to advance Chinese modernization,deliver a better life for the people,and build a community with a shared future for mankind,effectively ushered in a new year brimming with hope.

World Industrial Revolutions and the Development of Artificial Intelligence System

The objective-scientific conclusions obtained from the researches conducted in various fields of science prove that era and worldview are in unity and are phenomena that determine one another,and era and worldview are the most important phenomena in the understanding of geniuses,historical events,including personalities who have left a mark on the history of politics,and every individual as a whole.And it is appropriate to briefly consider the problem in the context of human and personality factors.It is known that man has tried to understand natural phenomena since the beginning of time.Contact with the material world naturally affects his consciousness and even his subconscious as he solves problems that are important or useful for human life.During this understanding,the worldview changes and is formed.Thus,depending on the material and moral development of all spheres of life,the content and essence of the progress events,as the civilizations replaced each other in different periods,the event of periodization took place and became a system.If we take Europe,the people of the Ice Age of 300,000 years ago,who engaged in hunting to solve their hunger needs,in other words,the age of dinosaurs,have spread to many parts of the world from Africa,where they lived in order to survive and meet more of their daily needs.The extensive integration of agricultural Ice Age People into the Earth included farming,fishing,animal husbandry,hunting,as well as handicrafts,etc.,and has led to the revolutionary development of the fields.As economic activities led these first inhabitants of the planet from caves to less comfortable shelters,then to good houses,then to palaces,labor activities in various occupations,including crafts,developed rapidly.Thus,the fads of the era who differed from the crowd(later this class will be called personalities,geniuses...-Kh.G.)began to appear.If we approach the issue from the point of view of history,we witness that the world view determines the development in different periods.This idea can be expressed in such a way that each period can be considered to have developed or experienced a crisis according to the level of worldview.In this direction of our thoughts,the question arises:So,what is the phenomenon of worldview of this era-XXI century?Based on the general content of the current events,characterized as the globalization stage of the modern world,we can say that the outlook of the historical stage we live in is based on the achievements of the last stage of the industrial revolution.In this article,by analyzing the history of the artificial intelligence system during the world industrial revolutions,we will study both the concept of progress of the industrial revolutions and the progressive and at the same time regressive development of the artificial intelligence system.

Study on the Protection of Sites of“Maritime Silk Road”in Haikou from the Perspective of World Cultural Heritage

The sites of Maritime Silk Road in Haikou City are composed of sites of navigation and trade,religious temples and stone monuments,urban construction and coastal defense scattered on the south bank of the Qiongzhou Strait.They played a key role in the formation and shaping of the settlements in Haikou City,recorded the process of intercommunication and integration between Chinese civilization and other regional cultures,and witnessed the germination,flourishing and inheritance of Haikou’s unique marine culture.The mixture of points,lines and planes blends with the urban area and coastline of Haikou City in spatial distribution.In this paper,from the perspective of world cultural heritage,some suggestions for the protection planning of sites of Maritime Silk Road in Haikou City were proposed based on the analysis of historical and geographical background,comparison of domestic and foreign similar sites,and evaluation of cultural heritage value.

Revolutionizing Healthcare—The Integration of Virtual Worlds, AR, and Metaverse Technology

This paper explores the transformative impact of virtual worlds, augmented reality (AR), and the metaverse in the healthcare sector. It delves into the ways these technologies are reshaping patient care, medical education, and research, while also addressing the challenges and opportunities they present. The paper highlights the potential benefits of these technologies and emphasizes the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure responsible integration. Finally it outlines their transformative impact and discusses the challenges and opportunities they present for the future of healthcare provision.

Classificatory updates in verrucous and cuniculatum carcinomas:Insights from the 5^(th) edition of WHO-IARC head and neck tumor classification

The International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC)and World Health Organization(WHO)collaboratively produce the'WHO Blue Books'essential tools standardizing the diagnostic process for human cancers.Regular updates in this classification accommodate emerging molecular discoveries,advances in immunohistochemical techniques,and evolving clinical insights.The 5th edition of the WHO/IARC classification of head and neck tumors refines the'Oral Cavity and Mobile Tongue'chapter,including sections for non-neoplastic lesions,epithelial tumors,and tumors of uncertain histogenesis.Notably,the epithelial tumors section is rearranged by tumor behavior,starting with benign squamous papillomas and progressing through potentially malignant oral disorders to oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).The section on OSCC reflects recent information on epidemiology,pathogenesis,and histological prognostic factors.Noteworthy is the specific categorization of verrucous carcinoma(VC)and carcinoma cuniculatum(CC),both associated with the oral cavity and distinct in clinical and histologic characteristics.This classification adjustment emphasizes the oral cavity as their predominant site in the head and neck.Designating specific sections for VC and CC aims to provide comprehensive insights into these unique subtypes,elucidating their clinical features,distinct histological characteristics,prevalence,significance,and clinical relevance.By categorizing these subtypes into specific sections,the 5th edition of the WHO classification aims to provide a more nuanced and detailed account,enhancing our understanding of these specific variants within the broader spectrum of head and neck tumors.

The Islamic Studies in China:Research in the Field of History

A history of the Islamic studies in China,not only includes studies on world Islam,it also includes research on Islam and Muslims in China.Before the Reform and Opening Up,China did not achieve much in this field,since then,the research field of Islam and Muslim in China has been expanding and the results have been published,forming a new trend.In this field,scholars such as Jin Yijiu,Li Xinghua,Qin Huibin,Zhou Guoli,Sha Qiuzhen,Zhou Xiefan,Wu Yungui,and Yang Huaizhong have made the most outstanding achievements.Especially in the collation of reference books and historical materials,in the past 20 years,The Encyclopedia of the history of Islam,The Chinese Encyclopedia of Islam have emerged,and the Chinese and World Encyclopedia of Islamic Law and other important historical books have been published.This paper focuses on the field of historical research and divided into academic research history at home and abroad,which is discussed from several fields such as general history,special history,national history,and regional history.

An Exploration of the British Army Female Nursing Service during World War I

After the outbreak of World War I,the British War Office decided to dispatch female nursing personnel to the front lines due to the severe casualties among soldiers,the underdeveloped military medical services of the allied forces,and the maturity of the British Army female nursing service.Despite the harsh working conditions and the complexities of nurse-patient relationships under wartime restrictions,the female nursing staff also experienced moments of leisure that allowed them to relax and recuperate.The wartime British Army Female Nursing Service had a positive effect in reducing casualties and promoting the development of the official nurse registration movement.

A World of Ice and Snow Being also Invaluable Asset:A Case Study of the"Snow Village"

Based on field visit and interview,the current situation of snow village in China is summarized from four aspects:core scenic spots in snow village,skiing industry in snow village,film and television industry in snow village,and ice and snow agritainment.The investigation found that there are still significant problems in homogenization,scenic area infrastructure,and government regulation in snow village.Targeted solutions are proposed from four aspects:tapping internal advantages,strengthening top-level design and infrastructure construction,promoting tourism industry upgrading,and collaborating to innovate the ice and snow tourism supply chain,in order to further promote the economic development of snow village.

Probability Theory Predicts That Winning Streak Is a Shortcut for the Underdog Team to Win the World Series

It is common for two teams or two players to play a game in which the first one to win a majority of the initially determined number of matches wins the championship. We will explore the probabilistic conditions under which a team (or player) that is considered weak may win the championship over a team (or player) that is considered strong, or a game may go all the way to the end, creating excitement among fans. It is unlikely to occur if the initially estimated probability remains constant when the weaker one wins each game against the stronger one. The purpose of this study is to identify probabilistically what conditions are necessary to increase the probability of such an outcome. We examine probabilistically by quantifying momentum gains to see if momentum gains by a weaker team (or player) winning a series of games would increase the likelihood of such an outcome occurring. If the weaker one gains momentum by winning a series of games and the probability of winning the next game is greater than the initial probability, we can see that such a result will occur in this study. Especially when the number of games is limited to seven, the initial probability that a weaker one will beat a stronger one in each game must be 0.35 or higher in order to win the championship and excite the fans by having the game go all the way to the end.

World AIDS Day: Mobilizing Social Forces to Fight AIDS Together

AIDS,short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,is a severe immune system-damaging disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection.AIDS is widely spread worldwide and has become a serious public health problem.To raise awareness of AIDS,the World Health Organization designated December 1st as World AIDS Day in 1988.The symbol of World AIDS Day is the red ribbon,which represents the public's concern and support for HIV-infected individuals and AIDS patients.The theme of World AIDS Day 2023 in China is"Mobilizing Social Forces to Fight AIDS Together".The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) held a theme promotional event for World AIDS Day 2023 in Beijing.This event further enhanced public awareness of AIDS prevention and control and mobilized social forces to participate in AIDS prevention and control efforts.

President Xi Jinping's Congratulatory Letter to the Third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilisations and the First World Conference of Sinologists

On the occasion of the opening of the Third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilisations and the First World Conference of Sinologists,I would like to express my warm congratulations and sincere welcome to leaders,sinologists and participants from various countries.