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Recently, the severity of injuries resulting from traffic crashes has been extensively investigated in numerous studies. However, the number of studies that addressed the severity of the run-off-road (ROR) crashes is relatively low. In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (AD), approximately 22% of the total serious crashes and fatalities that occurred from 2007 to 2013 were ROR crashes. Despite these facts and the uniqueness of the composition of licensed drivers in AD (approximately 87% of them are non-Emiratis), the factors affecting the occurrence and severity of ROR crashes in AD have not been explicitly addressed in any prior studies. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of at-fault drivers involved in ROR crashes in AD, the nature and main causes of those crashes. In this regard, conditional distribution and two-way contingency tables were developed. In addition, this study aims to identify and quantify the factors affecting the severity of ROR crashes such as driver, road, vehicle and environment factors. To achieve this goal, ordered probit model approach was employed. Crash data for a total of 3819 ROR crashes that occurred in AD were employed in the analysis. The results indicated that driver factors (carelessness, speeding, and nationality), vehicle characteristics (vehicle type), and road and environment factors (road type, crash location and road surface condition) were the significant factors influencing the severity of ROR crashes in AD. Countermeasures to improve traffic safety and reduce numbers and severity of ROR crashes in AD were discussed. Key words: run-off-road crashes, crash severity, traffic safety, ordered logit model. La gravite des blessures causees par des accidents de la route a recemment fait l'objet de nombreuses etudes approfondies. Cependant, assez peu d'etudes se sont interessees a la gravite des accidents provoques par une sortie de route (SDR). Dans l'emirat d'Abou Dabi (AD), environ 22 % des accidents graves et mortels denombres entre 2007 et 2013 etaient des accidents causes par une SDR. Malgre cela et en depit de la composition singuliere de la population des conducteurs titulaires d'un permis de conduire dans l'emirat d'AD (environ 87 % d'entre eux n'etant pas des Emiratis), les facteurs qui influent sur le nombre et la gravite des accidents dus a une SDR n'avaient jamais ete serieusement etudies auparavant. Par consequent, la presente etude vise a etudier les caracteristiques des conducteurs de conducteurs responsables impliques dans des accidents provoques par un SDR dans l'emirat d'AD ainsi que la nature et les principales de ces accidents. Pour ce faire, des distributions conditionnelles et des tableaux de contingence a double entree ont ete crees. La presente etude a egalement pour objectif de determiner et de quantifier les facteurs qui influent sur la gravite des accidents causes par une SDR, tels que le conducteur, la route, le vehicule et les facteurs environnementaux. Pour atteindre un tel objectif, une methode sur un modele probit ordonne a ete utilisee. Pour realiser cette etude, on s'est servi des donnees relatives a 3819 accidents causes par une SDR et survenus dans l'emirat d'AD. Les resultats ont montre que les facteurs associes aux conducteurs (manque de vigilance, vitesse de conduite et nationalite), les caracteristiques des vehicules impliques (type de vehicule) et les facteurs environnementaux et lies a la route (type de route, lieu de l'accident et etat de la surface de la route) influaient beaucoup sur la gravite des accidents provoques par une SDR et survenus dans l'emirat d'AD. Des mesures visant a ameliorer la securite routiere et a reduire le nombre et la gravite des accidents dus a une SDR dans l'emirat d'AD sont egalement presentees. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: accidents causes par une sortie de route, gravite des accidents, securite routiere, modele logit ordonne., Introduction Run-off-road (ROR) crashes are considered as one of the major causes of fatalities and serious injuries in traffic crashes around the world. Run-off-road crashes occur when the driver loses [...]

The Qatari government introduced a major public transport project titled the Doha Metro system to address the fast growing transportation demands in Qatar's urban areas and to be ready for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. To benefit from this new metro system in reducing traffic congestion problems in Doha, it must be attractive with a reasonable level of service to attract large numbers of car users to switch to the new metro. This goal can be achieved by a better understanding of the user's needs and expectations in Qatar. This paper aims to identify and quantify the significant factors affecting commuters' perspectives, preferences and tendencies to use this new metro network for their daily trips in the future. The data used for the analysis was obtained from a self-reported questionnaire survey carried out among a sample of commuters living in Doha. Different data mining techniques were employed including conditional distributions and two-way analysis. In addition, logistic regression and structural equation modeling approaches were developed. The results revealed that the location of metro stations, the metro station's features, the metro's features, gender, the number of daily trips, the purpose of trips, and the average duration of trips in Doha were the significant factors that affected commuters' willingness and tendency to use the new metro system. The results of this study provide authorities and decision makers in Doha with valuable insights that should be taken into consideration prior to implementing the new metro service to ensure its success. Key words: public transit, commuters' willingness to use public transit, commuters' satisfaction, service quality, travel mode choice. Resume: Le gouvernement qatari a lance la construction un grand projet de transport en commun, le metro de Doha, pour faire face a la forte croissance de la demande en matiere de transports dans les regions urbaines du Qatar et pour que le pays soit en mesure d'accueillir la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2022. Pour etre avantageux et contribuer a reduire les embouteillages a Doha, ce nouveau metro devra offrir un niveau de service acceptable de facon a encourager un grand nombre d'automobilistes a l'emprunter plutot que d'utiliser leur voiture. La realisation d'un tel objectif passera par une meilleure comprehension des besoins et attentes des usagers qataris. Le present article a pour but de determiner et de mesurer les facteurs qui influenceront le plus les intentions, les preferences et les tendances des banlieusards quant a l'utilisation quotidienne de ce nouveau reseau de metro a l'avenir. Les donnees utilisees pour cette analyse proviennent de questionnaires d'enquete auxquels a repondu un echantillon d'habitants de la banlieue de Doha. Diverses techniques d'exploration de donnees ont ete utilisees, dont celle des distributions conditionnelles et l'analyse a deux facteurs. En outre, des modelisations par regression logistique et par equation structurelle ont ete developpees. Les resultats de ces analyses ont montre que l'emplacement des stations de metro, leurs caracteristiques, le sexe des usagers, le nombre de leurs deplacements quotidiens et le but et la duree moyenne des deplacements a Doha constituaient les facteurs qui influenceraient le plus les choix et les tendances des banlieusards quant a l'utilisation de ce nouveau reseau de metro. Les resultats de la presente etude fournissent aux autorites et aux decideurs des donnees precieuses qui devront etre prises en compte avant la mise en service du nouveau metro afin d'en assurer le succes. [Traduit par le Redaction] Mots-cles : transports en commun, volonte des banlieusards d'utiliser les transports en commun, satisfaction des banlieusards, qualite de service, choix du mode de transport., Introduction The increased rate of car use, especially in rich developing countries, has major implications in terms of pollution, noise, and congestion problems. Commuters are relying more on private cars [...]

Fish semen cryopreservation is a valuable technique to sustain good quality sperm for fertilization, facilitating threatened species conservation and broodstock genetic development. The present investigation aimed to develop suitable standardized protocols to cryopreserve sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) semen. Thus, four experiments were conducted to determine the most effective extender (egg-yolk citrate, urea-egg-yolk, and 0.9% NaCl), cryoprotectant (DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol "EG", and methanol), sperm/cryodiluent dilution ratio (1:2, 1:4, 1:10, and 1:20) and equilibration time (0, 5, 15, or 30 min) to maintain the sperm content after cryopreservation. The consistency of post-thaw semen was assessed, with motility percentage, motility duration, and fertilization rate all being taken into account. When sperms were thawed, the consistency was at its best, especially when sperm was diluted with a ratio of 1:20 with egg-yolk citrate extender containing 10% DMSO, with a 15-min equilibration period before cryopreservation. Sea bass sperm cryopreserved using this protocol exhibited fertilisation rates, class motility, and motility duration close to fresh semen. Thus, the cryopreservation method developed in the present investigation proved to be an efficient and effective approach to augment the cryosurvival of sea bass spermatozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the prevalence and virulence genes of Klebsiella mastitis pathogens in a buffalo population are undocumented. Also, the association of rmpA kfu, uge, magA, Aerobactin, K1 and K2 virulent factors with K. pneumoniae buffalo, and cow mastitis is unreported. The virulence of K. pneumoniae was evaluated through both phenotypic and molecular assays. In vivo virulence was assessed by the Vero cell cytotoxicity, suckling mouse assay and mice lethality test. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion method. The 45 K. pneumoniae isolates from buffalo (n = 10/232) and cow (n = 35/293) milk were isolated (45/525; 8.6%) and screened via PCR for seven virulence genes encoding uridine diphosphate galactose 4 epimerase encoding gene responsible for capsule and smooth lipopolysaccharide synthesis (uge), siderophores (kfu and aerobactin), protectines or invasins (rmpA and magA), and the capsule and hypermucoviscosity (K1 and K2). The most common virulence genes were rmpA, kfu, uge, and magA (77.8% each). Aerobactin and K1 genes were found at medium rates of 66.7% each and K2 (55.6%). The Vero cell cytotoxicity and LD (50) in mice were found in 100% of isolates. A multidrug resistance pattern was observed for 40% of the antimicrobials. The distribution of virulence profiles indicate a role of rmpA, kfu, uge, magA, Aerobactin, and K1 and K2 in pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae in udder infections and invasiveness, and constitutes a threat for vulnerable animals, even more if they are in combination with antibiotic resistance.