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Background Despite the dominance of Covid-19 in the current situation, MERS-CoV is found infrequently in the Middle East. When coupled with the chest radiographic score, serum biochemical parameters may be utilized to assess serum biochemical changes in individuals with different degrees of MERS-CoV infection and to predict death. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between increased LDH levels and severe MERS-CoV outcomes utilizing ventilation days and an elevated chest radiographic score. Results Fifty-seven patients were included in the retrospective cohort. The mean age was 44.9 ± 13.5 years, while the range was between 12 and 73 years. With an average age of 53.3 ± 16.5 years, 18 of 57 (31.6%) patients were classified as deceased. The deceased group showed a substantially greater amount of LDH than the recovery group (280.18 ± 150.79 vs. 1241.72 ± 1327.77, p = 0.007). A cut-off value of > 512 LDH was established with a C-statistic of 0.96 (95% CI 0.92–1.00) and was 94% sensitive and 93% specific for mortality. Multivariate cox regression analysis revealed that loge (LDH) (adjusted HR: 9.91, 95% CI: 2.44–40.3, p = 0.001) and chest radiographic score (adjusted HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05–1.47, p = 0.01) were risk factors for mortality, whereas ventilation days were a protective factor (adjusted HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.76–0.93, p = 0.001). Conclusion According to our results, blood LDH levels of > 512 had a 94% sensitivity and 93% specificity for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients infected with MERS-CoV. The chest radiographic score of 11.34 ± 5.4 was the risk factor for the mortality (adjusted Hazard ratio HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05–1.47, p = 0.01). Thus, threshold may aid in the identification of individuals with MERS-CoV infection who die in hospital.

Background Prediction models are essential for informing screening, assessing prognosis, and examining options for treatment. This study aimed to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection severity in the Abu Dhabi population. Methods This is a mixed retrospective cohort study and case–control study to explore the associated factors of receiving treatment in the community, being hospitalized, or requiring complex hospital care among patients with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Of 641 patients included, 266 were hospitalized; 135 were hospitalized and either died or required complex care, i.e., required ICU admission, intubation, or oxygen and 131 did not develop severe disease requiring complex care. The third group (“controls”) were 375 patients who were not hospitalized. Logistic regression analyses were used to study predictors of disease severity. Results Among hospitalized patients older age and low oxygen saturation at admission were the consistent and strongest predictors of an adverse outcome. Risk factors for the death in addition to age and low oxygen saturation were elevated white blood count and low reported physical activity. Chronic kidney disease and diabetes were also associated with more severe disease in logistic regression. The mortality rate among those with less than 30 min per week of physical activity was 4.9%, while the mortality rate was 0.35% for those with physical activity > 30 min at least once a week. The interval from the onset of symptoms to admission and mortality was found to have a significant inverse relationship, with worse survival for shorter intervals. Conclusion Oxygen saturation is an important measure that should be introduced at screening sites and used in the risk assessment of patients with SARS-CoV-2. In addition, an older age was a consistent factor in all adverse outcomes, and other factors, such as low physical activity, elevated WBC, CKD, and DM, were also identified as risk factors.

Purpose The nerve sliding technique (NST) was introduced for repairing inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) defect and overcoming the disadvantages of conventional surgical treatment methods such as nerve graft. This study was conducted to identify factors associated with functional sensory recovery (FSR) following inferior alveolar nerve repair using the NST. Patients and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study including all patients who underwent IAN repair using the NST at Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from February 2009 to March 2020. The damaged part of the IAN was excised, and the incisive branch was transected intentionally to perform direct anastomosis without tension. Cox proportional hazard analysis was utilized to determine the relationships between predictor variables (age, gender, chief complaints, preoperative sensory results, duration from injury to repair, length of nerve tissue resected during the procedure, and neuroma formation) and outcome variable (time to FSR). Results The sample was composed of 16 patients with a mean age of 56.1 ± 10.1 years, 25% were males and 75% were females. The mean nerve gap deficit was 7.69 mm (3-15 mm). Ten patients (62.5%) achieved FSR with a median time from operative treatment to FSR of 84.5 days. Dental implant placement was found as the main cause for IAN injury (93.8%) and 56.2% of patients complained of hypoesthesia and dysesthesia. Factors associated with time to FSR at 1 year were age, chief complaint, and early repair. Younger patients (P = .041) and patients without dysesthesia (P = .019) were more likely to achieve FSR. Higher proportion of early repair group achieved FSR, although not statistically significant (P = .068). Conclusions The use of NST in repair of IAN defects up to 15 mm achieved 62.5% FSR. Younger age and absence of dysesthesia were associated with higher FSR.

This research paper is part of an extensive study conducted by the researcher on the UAE strategy for artificial intelligence, and its role in changing the mechanism of government services, leading to a complete data analysis by 2031, according to the latest techniques and tools of artificial intelligence and their application in various fields of work efficiently. The problems of smart devices lie in the bubble filter phenomenon, which causes a lack of elasticity, increased systemic fragility, which can have serious and unexpected systemic effects. The paper objectives were; to discuss the decision-making process and the employment of artificial intelligence in the United Arab Emirates. Through the Descriptive Analytical method, the topic was presented in two sections. The discussions showed that the UAE's strategy for artificial intelligence targets several vital sectors in the country, including the transportation sector, by reducing accidents and operational costs. The health sector by reducing the proportion of chronic and dangerous diseases. The space sector conducts accurate experiments and reduces costly errors. Energy sector through utility management and smart consumption. The water sector by conducting accurate analysis and studies to save resources. The technology sector by raising the rate of production and helping in public spending, the education sector by reducing costs and increasing the desire to learn. The environment sector by increasing the proportion of afforestation and planting suitable plants. Traffic Sector Develop preventive mechanisms such as predicting accidents and traffic congestion, and setting more effective traffic policies. With the presence of the infrastructure and knowledge in the successful recruitment of artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Interior in the United Arab Emirates.

Objective: To investigate the association of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking and syndromes with congenital heart disease (CHD) in patients attending Aljalila cardiology clinic between January 2020 and May of 2020. Methods: A case control study to assess the association of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking and syndromes with CHD. All patients that presented to the clinic between January 2020 and May of 2020 were included. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to record the presence of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking, and the type of syndrome and type of CHD. Patients with CHD were included in the case group and patients who did not have CHD were in the control group. Age, gender, and nationality were also collected from the hospital records. Fisher exact test and logistic regression was used to analyze the results. Results: A total of 177 cases and 211 controls were recruited. All the risk factors increase the risk of CHD, with maternal diabetes (OR 6.3, 95% CI 2.7-14.6) having the strongest association, then syndromes (OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.3-11.3) and lastly maternal smoking (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.0-16.3). The most common type of CHD is ventricular septal defect.

A large number of shipments are moved everyday domestically and internationally. A considerable number of items such as food, commodities, and pharmaceutical drugs are prone to damage in transit. This can be caused due to various reasons such as improper storage conditions and exposure to air or sunlight. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been used to enhance fundamental shipment tracking by improving transparency and visibility to such transport systems. This paper introduces a blockchain-powered smart container system (CryptoCargo) that monitors the conditions of the shipment and detects any violations that may damage its contents. These violations are recorded on the blockchain via smart contracts, which provides a secure and immutable storage thereby improving its trustworthiness in an inherently trustless environment comprising of multiple stakeholders. We present the design and implementation of CryptoCargo including architectural concerns and implementation details using a test Ethereum blockchain platform and cloud services. Moreover, we present details of thorough evaluation of the system to validate its function as well as to assess its effectiveness with respect to performance efficiency and real-time operation. We have made our smart contract code publicly available on Github.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the criminal behavior on the social media platforms and to classify the gathered data effectively as negative, positive, or neutral in order to identify a suspect. In this study, data was collected from two platforms, Twitter and Facebook, resulting in the creation of two datasets. The following findings have been pointed out from this study: Initially, VADER twitter sentimental analysis showed that out of 5000 tweets 50.8% people shared a neutral opinion, 39.2% shared negative opinion and only 9.9% showed positive opinion. Secondly, on Facebook, the majority of people showed a neutral response which is 55.6%, 38.9% shared positive response and only 5.6% shared negative opinion. Thirdly, the score of sentiments and engagement in every post affects the intensities of sentiments.

Objectives Leiomyosarcoma is a malignant neoplasm that affects smooth muscle tissue and it is very rare in the field of oral and maxillofcial surgery. The purpose of this study was to obtain information on diagnosis of and treatment methods for leiomyosarcoma by retrospectively reviewing of the cases. Patients and Methods The study included nine patients who were diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Seoul National University Dental Hospital. The subjects were analyzed with respect to sex, age, clinical features, primary site of disease, treatment method, recurrence, and metastasis. Results Particular clinical features included pain, edema, mouth-opening limitations, dysesthesia, and enlarged lymph nodes. All cases except one were surgically treated, and recurrence was found in two cases. Four of nine patients were followed up without recurrence and one patient underwent additional surgery due to recurrence. Conclusion In our case series, notable symptoms included pain, edema, mouth-opening limitations, and dysesthesia; however, it was difficult to label these as specific symptoms of leiomyosarcoma. Considering the aggressive characteristics of the disease and poor prognosis, surgical treatment is necessary with careful consideration of postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Background Kitchen sponges are a major source of cross-contamination as they can transfer foodborne pathogens, infectious agents and spoilage causing microorganisms to food contact surfaces. Several studies have revealed that university students adopt poor practices regarding food safety, hygiene, and the handling of kitchen cleaning equipment. Methods A total of fifty kitchen sponges were collected along with a questionnaire addressing social demographics and kitchen sponge usage by students living at the University of Sharjah dormitories. The effect of storage (3 and 10 days) on the microbial population of kitchen sponges at room temperature (21 °C) was assessed. Enterobacteriaceae isolated from sponges were identified and their antibiotic resistance determined. Results Student responses revealed that kitchen sponges used to clean food contact surfaces were also used to clean the oven (32%), sink (26%), refrigerator (10%), and to clean spills on the floor (4%). Kitchen sponges contained high counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (7.9 log10/cm3), coliform (7.2 log10/cm3), Enterobacteriaceae (7.3 log10/cm3) and yeasts and molds (7.0 log10/cm3). After storage of the sponges at room temperature (21 °C) for 3 and 10 days, the number of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, coliform, Enterobacteriaceae and yeasts and molds decreased by 0.4 and 1.3 log10/cm3, 0.7 and 1.4 log10/cm3, 0.4 and 1.1 log10/cm3, and 0.6 and 1.3 log10/cm3, respectively. The most frequently isolated Enterobacteriaceae were Enterobacter cloacae (56%) and Klebsiella oxytoca (16%). All E. cloacae isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, cefalotin, cefoxitin and cefuroxime axetil. Conclusions This study showed that students living in dormitories lacked good hygienic practices and were at increased risk of food poisoning. Kitchen sponges were highly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria which could be transferred from the general kitchen environment to food contact surfaces and consequently lead to food contamination.

PurposeThis empirical study aims to explore the linkage among authentic leadership traits and job performance via the mediating role of high-performance human resource practices (HPHRPs) in a developing country context. Social exchange theory and trait theory are widely employed in many disciplines but seldom applied to job performance among Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) employees.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the study is PTCL's employees. A cross-sectional design was employed and data was collected from 377 employees via questionnaire. This is an exploratory study; therefore, partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to answer the research questions.FindingsThe findings of this study revealed that relational transparency, directly and indirectly, influenced job performance with the partial mediating role of selective staffing and extensive training. Furthermore, balance processing, directly and indirectly, influenced job performance with the partial mediating role of incentive reward, while self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, employment security and result-oriented appraisal were insignificant influences on job performance.Practical implicationsThe results of the study delineated practical applications for both the researchers and policymakers. The results of this study would also augment the body of knowledge on human resource practices in both developed and developing countries.Originality/valueThis study found and reported authentic leadership traits and HPHR as the main sources of job performance in PTCL. This study empirically examined the influence of authentic leadership traits on job performance with the mediating role of a bundle of HPHRPs in a developing context.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global health crisis. Numerous cancer patients from non-Western countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seek cancer care outside their home countries and many are sponsored by their governments for treatment. Many patients interrupted their cancer treatment abruptly and so returned to their home countries with unique challenges. In this review we will discuss practical challenges and recommendations for all cancer patients returning to their home countries from treatment abroad. Method Experts from medical, surgical and other cancer subspecialties in the UAE were invited to form a taskforce to address challenges and propose recommendations for patients returning home from abroad after medical tourism during the SARS-COV-19 Pandemic. Results The taskforce which consisted of experts from medical oncology, hematology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, radiology and palliative care summarized the current challenges and suggested a practical approaches to address these specific challenges to improve the returning cancer patients care. Lack of medical documentation, pathology specimens and radiology images are one of the major limitations on the continuation of the cancer care for returning patients. Difference in approaches and treatment recommendations between the existing treating oncologists abroad and receiving oncologists in the UAE regarding the optimal management which can be addressed by early and empathic communications with patients and by engaging the previous treating oncologists in treatment planning based on the available resources and expertise in the UAE. Interruption of curative radiotherapy (RT) schedules which can potentially increase risk of treatment failure has been a major challenge, RT dose-compensation calculation should be considered in these circumstances. Conclusion The importance of a thorough clinical handover cannot be overstated and regulatory bodies are needed to prevent what can be considered unethical procedure towards returning cancer patients with lack of an effective handover. Clear communication is paramount to gain the trust of returning patients and their families. This pandemic may also serve as an opportunity to encourage patients to receive treatment locally in their home country. Future studies will be needed to address the steps to retain cancer patients in the UAE rather than seeking cancer treatment abroad.

Objectives We compared the outcomes of two different doses of FK506 (tacrolimus) for immunosuppression in submandibular salivary gland (SMG) allotransplantation. Materials and methods Three SMG allotransplantation groups were established (n=6 per group) as follows: allograft rejection control (Allo-Ctrl), low dose (0.08 mg/kg) of FK506 (FK506-L), and high dose (0.16 mg/kg) of FK506 (FK506-H). Allograft survival and rejection were assessed by clinical observation, interleukin-2 levels as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, blood sampling for complete blood count (CBC), and histological evaluation. Results Body weight and anorexia were higher in the FK506-H group but without a significant difference compared with the FK506-L population. CBC revealed a non-significantly reduced number of changes in the FK506-L group. Four glands in the FK506-H group and two glands in the FK506-L group were viable and functioning post-transplantation. Conclusion The survival rate of allotransplanted glands was higher in conjunction with the high dose of 0.16 mg/kg of FK506, with no major difference in the side-effect profile when compared with the low dose of 0.08 mg/kg short-term outcomes.

The technical education sector of the UAE adopts hands-on dominated curricula with the aim of meeting the industrial needs of highly qualified technical personnel with significant practical experience in their field. The utilization of remotely accessible laboratories is one of the technologies that is expected to have a significant role in improving the attainment of hands-on skills. This paper presents the design and implementation of a LabVIEW software interface to remotely control the FESTO MPS PA compact workstations. This workstation is commonly used as laboratory equipment and for training in the process-control filed. To showcase the developed remotely accessible process control laboratory, Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and ON/OFF controllers were designed and implemented on the system. The proposed remotely accessible process control laboratory offers practical and industrial training over the Internet. This feature could open doors for sharing the laboratory's resources between higher educational institutes of the UAE. Which is expected to result in the optimal utilization of the available resources. The proposed remotely accessible process control laboratory is expected to have a major cost reduction of the usually high education system cost through the efficient utilization of the available laboratory equipment.

The financial statements are used for financial analysis to analyze the performance of an organization for a specific period. This research aimed to analyze the financial stamen of an organization for analyzing its financial performance. The report had chosen ADNOC as the case organization. The study has used the quantitative data obtained from the financial statements of ADNOC to collect ratios. The ratio analysis shows that all ratios i.e. profitability, liquidity, debt, and cash flow ratios depicted the favorable position of ADNOC while activity ratios show the unfavorable position. The investors, in the end, are recommended to invest in ADNOC.

This study has done based on the financial analysis of Tesla, inc. to understand its financial position throughout the year 2017 to 2020. The fundamental purpose of this report is to gain some proficient knowledge about ratio analysis through which how the company is performing within the industry could be understood. Data has been collected through Yahoo Finance and using those data, five different ratios, namely, profitability, liquidity, activity, cash-flow, debt ratio, have been performed. Concerning entire factors, this report is mainly supported by concise recommendations, which could be helpful for stakeholders of this company.

PurposeThe main aim of this study is to determine the fracture toughness and accordingly to predict the fracture initiation, crack propagation and mode of crack extension accurately in polypropylene subsea pipes subjected to internal pressure.Design/methodology/approachTensile test was performed following the ISO 527–1 standard. An elastic-plastic constitutive model was developed based on the tensile test results, and it is implemented in the FEA model to describe the constitutive behaviour of the polypropylene material. Three-point bend tests with linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach were conducted following ISO-13586 standard, from which the average fracture toughness of the polypropylene pipe material in crack-opening mode was found as KIc = 3.3 MPa√m. A numerical model of the experiments is developed based on the extended finite element method (XFEM), which showed markedly good agreement with the experimental results.FindingsThe validated XFEM modelling approach is utilised to illustrate its capabilities in predicting fracture initiation and crack propagation in a polypropylene subsea pipe subjected to an internal pressure containing a semi-elliptical surface crack, which agrees well with existing analytical solutions. The XFEM model is capable of predicting the crack initiation and propagation in the polypropylene pipe up to the event of leakage.Originality/valueThe methodology proposed herein can be utilised to assess the structural integrity and resistance to fracture of subsea plastic pipes subjected to operational loads (e.g. internal pressure).

We report a case of blast injury to the left hand which resulted in fractures of the fingers with exposure of bones and joints of the phalanges. We used three reverse adipofascial cross finger flaps raised at the same time from 2 fingers to reconstruct adjacent fingers of the patient. The patient recovered well postoperatively and had good range of movement of the fingers. This avoided the complications of the use of regional or distal flaps. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in which three reverse adipofascial cross fingers flaps are raised at the same time, two of them from an injured finger, to cover three raw areas on two fingers of a patient.

The maximum concentration of hydrogen that can be commingled with or blended in natural gas has been a topic of discussion for many years. The reasons for blending hydrogen with natural gas are mai...

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a very well-established technology for water desalination. Commercial RO systems are composed of several numbers of RO passes with auxiliary equipment such as high-pressure ...

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the world’s most common sexually transmitted disease. It accounts for 70% and 72% of all cervical cancer cases and anal cancer cases worldwide, respectively. Annually, over 470,000 women are diagnosed globally with cervical cancer, and 233,372 of them die. Objective: The HPV vaccine could now largely prevent cervical cancer and potential death. However, uptake of the vaccine is variable in our population due to many factors. We believe that one major factor is the physician’s knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) toward HPV disease and vaccination. Although the HPV vaccine has been added to the UAE vaccination schedule since 2010, the physician’s KAP toward HPV disease and vaccination in our country have been poorly studied. This study aims to examine and identify the gaps in the physician’s KAP. These gaps can later be targeted in a quality improvement project in the future. Methods: A 20-question survey was distributed to different physicians working in departments such as the pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, and family medicine, both in the primary health care and government sectors. A total of 110 surveys were collected and analyzed through Microsoft Excel. Results and conclusion: The survey results revealed some gaps in knowledge, although a good percentage of the surveyed physicians seem to recommend the vaccine.

Allotransplantation of submandibular salivary glands (SMGs) could be an alternative treatment option for severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca in noncandidates for autologous SMG transplantation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy on the survival of allotransplanted SMGs.Thirty-six SMG allotransplantations (n = 6 per group) were performed in New Zealand white rabbits and randomly divided into the following groups: allograft control (Allo-Ctrl), low-dose FK506 (FK506-L), high-dose FK506 (FK506-H), allogeneic MSCs, MSCs+FK506-L, and MSCs+FK506-H. Rabbits were closely observed for 2 weeks. Gland viability and rejection were assessed by monitoring interleukin-2 levels by ELISA, sialoscintigraphy, M3-muscarinic acetylcholine receptor expression, histological evaluation, and apoptosis assay.Intraoperatively, all glands showed patency and saliva flow except 1 gland. Sialoscintigraphy revealed significantly higher saliva production within the MSC-treated glands. Histologically, MSC-treated glands showed higher glandular tissue preservation and less acini atrophy. The MSCs+FK506-H group revealed significantly lower apoptosis percentage. The highest survival was observed in the MSCs+FK506-H group, followed by the FK506-H and MSCs+FK506-L groups, and lastly less in the FK506-L and MSCs groups.Concurrent administration of MSCs with FK506-H (0.16 mg/kg) resulted in higher survival rate with greater glandular tissue preservation and salivary secretion. MSCs with FK506-L (0.08 mg/kg) could be an alternative to FK506-H (0.16 mg/kg) in salivary gland allotransplantation.

The need for frequency regulation capacity increases as the fraction of renewable energy sources grows in the electricity market. An aggregator can provide frequency regulation by controlling its generation and demand. Here we investigate the participation of an aggregator controlling a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) and an energy storage (ES) in day-ahead regulation and energy markets and determine the optimal size of the aggregator's bids. The problem is formulated as a stochastic mixed integer linear programming model, taking into account the uncertainties regarding energy and frequency regulation prices. The risks associated with the uncertainties are managed using the conditional value-at-risk method. Because most EVs are charged in residential distribution networks, load flow constraints are also taken into account. A linear formulation based on the rainflow cycle counting algorithm is proposed to include the ES degradation costs incurred from following the frequency regulation signals into the objective function. The problem is studied within the context of a medium-voltage distribution network adopting the market rules of the California Independent System Operator. The results of the numerical analysis show how joint optimization of EVs and ES can improve the aggregator's profit, and verify that the proposed degradation cost formulation can effectively minimize the degradation costs of the ES.

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGF) are intense and prompt bursts of X- and gamma-rays of up to 100 MeV of energy. Typically associated with thunderstorm activity, TGFs are produced by bremsstrahlung effects of electrons accelerated in strong electric fields generated by lightning. TGFs can be effectively targeted by gamma detectors with enhanced time stamping capabilities onboard of satellites operating at near-Earth low obits (LEO). Light-1 is a miniature satellite, a 3U CubeSat designed to detect, monitor and study terrestrial gamma ray flashes in low Earth orbit. The two payload detectors are composed of a photomultiplier tube and silicon photomultipliers. The two detectors are mounted at two ends of the CubeSat and the proposed orientation of the CubeSat will ensure maximum TGF detection probability. To allow an increased frequency of data downlink, Khalifa University has collaborated with NanoAvionics Corp, and hence Light-1 has access to three ground stations situated across the map, Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, Vilnius in Lithuania, and Aalborg in Denmark. The satellite expected to launch in late-2021 is currently in its assembly and integration phase. This paper describes mission, concept, objectives, success criteria, design, analysis, status, and the future plans of Light-1 satellite.

Abiola Senok,1,* Mubarak Alfaresi,2,* Hamda Khansaheb,3 Rania Nassar,1,4 Mahmood Hachim,1 Hanan Al Suwaidi,1 Majed Almansoori,2 Fatma Alqaydi,2 Zuhair Afaneh,2 Aalya Mohamed,2 Shahab Qureshi,2 Ayman Ali,2 Abdulmajeed Alkhajeh,3 Alawi Alsheikh-Ali1,3 1College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 2Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital, Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates; 3Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 4Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Abiola SenokCollege of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 505055, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesTel +971-4-383-8717Email abiola.senok@mbru.ac.aePurpose: Microbial coinfections in COVID-19 patients carry a risk of poor outcomes. This study aimed to characterize the clinical and microbiological profiles of coinfections in patients with COVID-19.Methods: A retrospective review of the clinical and laboratory records of COVID-19 patients with laboratory-confirmed infections with bacteria, fungi, and viruses was conducted. Only adult COVID-19 patients hospitalized at participating health-care facilities between February 1 and July 31, 2020 were included. Data were collected from the centralized electronic system of Dubai Health Authority hospitals and Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital Umm Al Quwain.Results: Of 29,802 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 392 (1.3%) had laboratory-confirmed coinfections. The mean age of patients with coinfections was 49.3± 12.5 years, and a majority were male (n=330 of 392, 84.2%). Mean interval to commencement of empirical antibiotics was 1.2± 3.6) days postadmission, with ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and piperacillin–tazobactam the most commonly used. Median interval between admission and first positive culture (mostly from blood, endotracheal aspirates, and urine specimens) was 15 (IQR 8– 25) days. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli were predominant in first positive cultures, with increased occurrence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Candida auris, and Candida parapsilosis in subsequent cultures. The top three Gram-positive organisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. There was variability in levels of sensitivity to antibiotics and isolates harboring mecA, ESBL, AmpC, and carbapenemase-resistance genes were prevalent. A total of 130 (33.2%) patients died, predominantly those in the intensive-care unit undergoing mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.Conclusion: Despite the low occurrence of coinfections among patients with COVID-19 in our setting, clinical outcomes remained poor. Predominance of Gram-negative pathogens, emergence of Candida species, and prevalence of isolates harboring drug-resistance genes are of concern.Keywords: SARS-CoV2, microbial coinfections, clinical outcomes, Pseudomonas, Candida

Aim: This study aimed to investigate whether serum biochemical parameters can be used as a surrogate for chest computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in pediatric patients. Materials & methods: We evaluated potential associations between various serum biochemical markers and the COVID-reporting and data system (RADS) pneumonia grading system in 53 individuals with confirmed COVID-19. Results: A total of 28 chest CT scans (52.8%) were abnormal. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 on CT showed a statistically significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (186.4 ± 56.5 vs 228.4 ± 60.6; p = 0.01), which was significantly correlated with the COVID-RADS pneumonia grading system. Conclusion: Lactate dehydrogenase can be used as a surrogate marker for chest CT in children with COVID-19. This can reduce exposure to ionizing radiation during initial diagnostic procedures in children with suspected COVID-19 pneumonia.

Background: The present study examined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depressive symptom levels among a predominantly female sample of college students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Methods: IGD was assessed among two successive cohorts of students at the beginning of the academic year in 2016 and 2019, respectively. All participants (n = 412) completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) and the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5), a tool widely used for the screening and assessment of depressive symptomatology.Results: Mean IGDS9-SF scores (15.85, SD = 6.40) were fairly similar to those observed in other nations. The prevalence of IGD was 1.45%, based on the stringent cut-off score (> = 40). Prevalence of IGD rose to 18.20% when using the less stringent cut-off (> = 21). There was an increase in the rate of IGD between 2016 and 2019, although not statistically significant. Higher IGDS9-SF scores were associated with greater depressive symptomatology; those scoring above the less stringent IGD cut-off had a greater likelihood of screening positive for depression OR = 2.28, 95% CI (1.176–4.428).Conclusions: This study provides insights about IGD among a predominantly female Arab population, finding a correlation with mood disorder symptomatology and suggesting an increase in problematic gaming over time. The results are discussed with reference to the mood repair hypothesis and the possibility of IGD being a dual disorder. The association with depressive symptoms is also discussed in light of the neurobiology of addictive behaviors and sexual dimorphism.

Background: COVID-19 infection continues to be a serious health concern in pediatric patients, associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. An important clinical question is whether laboratory hematologic parameters may act as a surrogate for imaging findings in pediatric COVID-19 pneumonia, in order to reduce exposure to ionizing radiation. The aim is to investigate the relationship between radiographic findings and hematological laboratory parameters in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection by directly comparing the findings from both studies. Methods: This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective study of 187 consecutive pediatric patients with microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia and available initial chest radiographs at the time of diagnosis, obtained between March 2020 and December 2020. Two groups of patients were created: 1) 1st group (without radiographic evidence of COVID-19 pneumonia) and 2) second group (with radiographic evidence of COVID-19 pneumonia). Two experienced radiologists independently reviewed the initial chest radiographs for abnormalities. Patients’ medical records were reviewed for clinical presentation, hematological laboratory parameters, and patient outcomes. The relationship between initial chest radiographic findings and hematological laboratory parameters was evaluated between the two groups. Interobserver agreement was estimated with the Cohen k coefficient. Results: The study population consisted of 187 chest radiographs from 187 individual pediatric patients (95 males and 92 females; mean age ± SD, 10.1 ± 6.0 years; range, 9 months – 18 years). Group 1 consisted of 103 chest radiographs (55.0%) from 103 individual pediatric patients (54 males and 49 females; mean age ± SD, 12.5 ± 5.2 years; range, 9 months – 18 years). Group 2 consisted of 84 chest radiographs (45.0%) from 84 individual pediatric patients (41 males and 43 females; mean age ± SD, 7.0 ± 5.6 years; range, 11 months – 18 years). In group 2, observed chest radiographic abnormalities included ground-glass opacity (GGO) in 75 patients (89.2%), GGO and consolidation in 6 (7.2%), peribronchial thickening in 1 patient (1.1%), consolidation in 1 patient (1.1%), and peribronchial thickening, GGO and consolidation in one patient (1.1%). In addition, group 2 patients (with radiographic abnormalities of COVID-19 pneumonia) had significantly elevated LDH (p = 0.001) compared to group 1 patients (without radiographic findings of COVID-19 pneumonia). All pediatric patients in both groups completely recovered from COVID-19 infection. Interobserver agreement for chest radiographic findings was nearly perfect between the two reviewers in both groups (k = 0.96, p = 0.001).Conclusion: The presence of radiographic abnormalities on initial chest radiographs correlates well with hematologic laboratory abnormalities, specifically elevated LDH, in pediatric patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that hematologic laboratory parameters may act as a surrogate for chest radiography in pediatric COVID-19 pneumonia and that chest radiography may not be clinically indicated in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection with normal LDH level, resulting in decreased exposure to ionizing radiation in this vulnerable population.

ObjectivesThe United Arab Emirates responded to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic and widely implemented test-and-trace strategy. In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study 531 subjects presenting for SARS-COV-2 testing were recruited to study population’s beliefs and choices regarding testing and were compared to 156 who never been tested.ResultsThe community uptake in Abu Dhabi Emirate reached 90% (average of 68% overall). In the great majority it was self-motivated as 6% only had doctor referral. Those who had not taken a test were younger in age (p < 0.001), more likely performing activities such as shopping and eating out (p = 0.001), have a medical illness (p < 0.0001), and working from home (p = 0.005). The tested group reported significantly more agreement with the statement, if someone had negative result no need to stay home or wear mask. In conclusion, SARS-COV-2 testing had extensive coverage and high acceptability in the UAE. Acting on concluded beliefs and attitude are key to ensure the testing coverage efficiency and public empowerment.

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health issue due to high morbidity and mortality. Different screening programs were implemented to reduce its burden. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of CRC screening uptake using fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or guaiac fecal occult blood testing (gFOBT) in Emirati nationals. Other objectives were to measure the incidence of CRC in the screened population, to measure the outcomes of follow-up screening colonoscopy after positive FIT/gFOBT and to identify the causes of not performing follow-up screening colonoscopy after positive FIT/gFOBT. Methodology Adult Emirati nationals aged 40–75 years who visited Ambulatory healthcare services clinics, Abu Dhabi in 2015–2016 were included in the study. The electronic medical records of the eligible individuals were reviewed retrospectively. The prevalence of CRC screening was measured among the eligible population using the FIT/gFOBT. The IBM SPSS Statistics program, version 21.0.0, was used for analysis. Result 45,147 unique individuals were eligible for screening, and only 23.5% were screened using FIT/gFOBT. Of the screened individuals, 13.5% had positive FIT/ gFOBT, and 30.5% of those underwent follow-up screening colonoscopy. CRC was diagnosed in 11 individuals. Colonic polyp were found in 30.5% of individuals who had undergone a follow-up colonoscopy. Collectively 933 individuals did not undergo follow-up screening colonoscopy after having a positive FIT/gFOBT, and about 36.3% had collected the result and referred to a gastroenterologist but did not attend the appointment. Conclusion CRC screening uptake using FIT/gFOBT is low among the adult Emirati nationals.

Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants are the main emitting CO2 sources in the UAE. However, the main problem with capturing CO2 from the NGCC plant is that it is highly diluted by a large amount of air used in a gas turbine; 300 to 400% of the theoretical air is required. This leads to inefficient absorption, requiring a large amount of reactive solvent to absorb CO2. In this work, we examine the potential of enriching CO2 with air in the combustion chamber in order to increase the CO2 content in the flue gas, aiming to reduce the cost of the capture plant. We develop a detailed model of the integrated system comprising of combustion chamber kinetics, CCGT plant, and MEA-based CO2 capture plant using Ansys CHEMKIN®, Aspen HYSYS v10, and Aspen Plus 10, respectively. We also performed techno-economic analyses of the integrated system to examine the viability of the system considering varying enrichment rates. The study results show a slight reduction in NGCC power output and a decrease in the reboiler duty from building a capture plant with an enriching CO2 rate. However, the economic assessment reveals that the installation of a CCP is not profitable for electricity plants with a modest production (less than 200 MW), as the whole efficiency is reduced to 10%. This is due to the increased amount of CO2 that need to be treated.

Carbon Capture and storage from fossil fuel power plants has gained the attention of scientists as an effective method to control greenhouse gas emissions. A post-combustion CO2 capture has been conducted using ASPEN Plus V10 software based on amine absorption /desorption for flue gas from natural gas combined cycle power plant. This optimization aimed to investigate the required solvent flowrate required thermal energy and the economic analysis for 90% capture rate of the CO2 in the first case and 99% in the second case. The CO2 absorption using monoethanolamine (MEA) as a solvent has been used in both processes. The obtained results showed that increasing the capture rate from 90% to 99% causes an increase in the solvent flow rate by 12%. Also, the increase in the capture rate causes an increase in the CAPEX by 6% and an increase in the OPEX by 9%. The Thermal heat duty for MEA regeneration was also increased by 10%. The obtained results showed an increase of less than 15% in most of the parameters which are feasible to capture 99% of the CO2 from NGCC with MEA at a reasonable energy cost.

In this chapter, the researchers investigate the different effects of smartphones on the youth of the United Arab Emirates through an integrated questionnaire among 12 doctors that were randomly sampled and selected about the smartphone use of the youth in the country. Through a qualitative research design by using structured questionnaires, the researcher found out that smartphone usage affects the youth in UAE both in a positive and negative way. Despite the developments posited in the adoption of smart phones including data-driven solutions and education, the smart phones have been related to negative impacts on mental health and physical connection through the youth in the society. Moreover, smartphone usage may lead to negative health issues among the youth including obesity. Additionally, parents present a fear of extreme exposure and cultural deterioration in the presence of these phones. Also, it was concluded that parents should play a role in limiting the number of hours that youth should use their smartphones to a maximum of 3 hours a day.

Social media is a weapon that is capable of construction as well as destruction. The real power of the prevailing social media platforms becomes evident by witnessing the influence created by these platforms on a large scale. It plays a significant role in everyday life. The rising popularity due to its ability to make people attached with kith and kin have paved the way for the world to share photos, feelings, videos, which bears a high-security concern. However, most social media users do not know the underlying security level(s) of the respective account(s), including which features of these social media have to be considered if there is a risky situation. The police are making lots of efforts to curb cybercrime at its root and reduce the crime rate. This research aims to understand the characteristics of cybercrimes taking place in social media and identify what kind of efforts the police should take to control cybercrime. Python programming is used for the analysis, where pre-processing and then percentage analysis is performed to understand the data. It is seen that uneducated and poor people have more tendency to commit cybercrimes. Also, the ages between 20 and 25 committed more crimes. Hence, this would help the police to identify the type of people who would create more crimes. These results would help the police to narrow down their search on criminals for better surveillance. The police must focus on those with these factors while monitoring social media.

Advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are preparing the way for a revolutionized future in which much of our daily devices would be interconnected. Such objects should be able to connect and interact with each other and their surroundings. This allows the automation of many activities. The interconnecting of IoT nodes involves stability, smooth authentication, robustness, and simple maintenance. The adoption of Internet of Things technology and a wide variety of sensing and acting capabilities have led to smart, intelligent devices that are more realistic but still highly enticing targets for cyber-attacks and cybercrimes. The mainline of protection against cyber-attacks and Cybercrime is vigilance and preparedness. The goal of the research is to explore the effect of IoT on Cybercrime in 2050 and beyond.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the chewing exerciser (CE) on the functional recovery of the masticatory muscles after orthognathic surgery. Material and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in patients undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery including bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy. Postoperative physiotherapy (PT) was performed for 3 weeks starting 3 weeks after the surgery. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: control (Con) (conventional PT) group and CE group (use of CE in addition to conventional PT). The masticatory function was evaluated based on three standards: bite force (BF), amount of mouth opening (MO), and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the anterior temporal muscle (TA), masseter muscle (MM), sternocleidomastoid muscle, and anterior belly of digastric muscle before, 3 weeks (before PT) and 6 weeks after the surgery (after PT). Results: Finally, 22 subjects participated in this study: 10 patients for Con group and 12 patients for CE group. In both groups, the BF, which was reduced significantly after the surgery, recovered after the PT similar to that before the surgery. In both groups, the MO was also significantly reduced by the surgery. However, it did not recover as much, as it was before the surgery after applying the PT. There was no difference in BF and MO between the two groups. All muscles did not show significant changes in sEMG by surgery and PT at both resting and clenching states. Conclusion: Applying CE as a PT after orthognathic surgery did not cause any harmful side effects. In both groups, the weakened muscle activity after orthognathic surgery (OGS) was adequately restored 6 weeks after the surgery. However, CE did not offer a statistically significant benefit to the masticatory function in the recovery process after OGS.

Healthcare is considered a pillar for keeping humans alive, thus managing their health through diagnosing and treating the disease or illness is a must, in addition to preventing it. Knowledge management (KM) in healthcare domain plays a substantial role in the implementation of different processes to ensure the existence of good and outstanding healthcare systems. In this study, a systematic review is carried out among previous studies to observe KM processes studies with respect to healthcare. Based on a search strategy, the systematic review offers a broad analysis of 10 quality assessed research articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 2009 till 2019. The results provide findings regarding the most KM processes studied, which are knowledge sharing and applications, and the least KM processes studied, which are knowledge acquisition and protection. Surveys and interviews were used as research methods to avail information in the context of KM processes. Taiwan, Finland, United States, Ghana, and Pakistan were the most active countries in the surveyed studies. Furthermore, the contributors to these studies were healthcare staff. This review study attempts to determine and feature KM processes research as an increase considering healthcare systems.

This study addresses the sustainable design of processing pathways for the utilization and conversion of municipal solid waste (MSW) into energy and value-added products. Based on the MSW superstructure we developed previously (capable of producing recycled materials, compost, bioethanol, electricity), we assess the environmental performance of potential MSW processing pathways. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is formulated with the environmental objective function in a generic way, to select the environmentally sustainable route for the processing of MSW to energy and valuable products that minimizes the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). A case study of Abu Dhabi Emirate is considered, and the obtained results are discussed. The results show that the most environmentally sustainable route is comprised of (1) recycling of the recyclable components of MSW via material recycling facility, and (2) production of bioethanol via gasification of the rest of the waste followed by catalytic transformation.

MB,ChB, FICMS, CABS (ENT), Consultant ENT Surgeon, Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital, Basrah, IRAQ. Abstract The nose is the most prominent structure in human face, making it more susceptible to trauma which may reach more than one third of all facial injuries. Although fracture nose is a common surgical problem, very few studies are conducted in Iraq on it. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of local anesthesia in fracture nose manipulation and to assess the degree of patient’s satisfaction from the functional and esthetic point of view. The majority of patients attended ENT department were males (68.5%) lying in the age group between 21–30 years and the reason for their injuries was personal assault. Waiting for complete resolution of edema results in some complications such as bleeding and pain. Fracture nose manipulation under local anesthesia gives high degree of satisfaction both for the functional (83.3%) and esthetic (88.9%) point of view, so this procedure can be recommended in ENT clinical practice in the view of these results as it is more safe, time saving and cost effective.

Postmortem computed tomography (CT) is a minimally invasive technique to examine internal organs before a forensic autopsy. The purpose of our study was to estimate lung weight in a forensic setting in cases of various lung states, including fluid accumulation (congestion, edema, hypostasis, and inflammation etc.) using postmortem CT. From January 2016 to July 2018, 111 deceased bodies (62 males and 59 females, aged from 18 to 95 (average 59.6) years) were examined by CT before autopsy. Both lungs of the 111 deceased were analyzed separately, making it a total of 222 samples. We extracted lung fields from CT images manually after semi-automatic detection using an image workstation. The total lung volume and 6 categories of lung volume divided according to their CT density were measured. Multiple regression analysis was performed with lung weight in autopsy as the response variable, while the 6 categories were labelled as explanatory variables. The relation between lung weight in autopsy and lung weight estimated using postmortem CT showed a high Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9106). Using postmortem CT, the lung weight can be estimated in forensic settings.

The electricity sector is UAE's leading CO2 emission source. The country is rich in fossil energy including gas. However, due to demand pressures the country has been forced to develop its unconventional gas resources containing over 20% hydrogen sulfide and 10% carbon dioxide. The sweetening process for this unconventional gas resource is particularly very energy and greenhouse gas emission intensive compared with conventional gas. The present analysis aims to quantify the well-to-grid GHG emissions per kilowatt hour (kWh) of domestic gas-based power delivered in the country. The GHG emissions are estimated making use of mathematical models, simulation software, and engineering principles. The well-to-grid emission lifecycle includes: gas extraction, raw gas gathering and transmission, gas processing, sweet gas product transmission, electricity generation, distribution and transmission, and end-use. Two types of gas resources were examined: ultra-sour and conventional gas. The results show that the well-to-grid GHG emissions of domestic gas-based power ranges from 546 to 630 g CO2 eq./kWh and 474–545 g CO2 eq./kWh for ultra-sour and conventional gas, respectively. Thus, placing the country in the low-mid range literature values (416–730 g CO2 eq./kWh).

This paper addresses the plant-wide control of the amine gas sweetening plant using distributed model predictive control. The plant is fed natural gas containing sour gases (hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide), which are removed by absorption in monoethanolamine solution. A plant decomposition algorithm based on modularity maximization for distributed parameter systems is used to obtain the optimal decomposition for distributed model predictive control. Comparisons are drawn among the performance and computational requirements of distributed, decentralized, and centralized model predictive controls.

A systematic design of municipal solid waste (MSW) management system can lead to identify a promising and/or sustainable way of handling MSW by processing it into energy and valuable products. In this study, a systematic framework is developed for the superstructure-based optimization of MSW processing routes. The proposed superstructure includes the potential technological alternatives (such as recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion with electricity generation, gasification followed by catalytic transformation, gasification with electricity generation, plasma arc gasification with electricity generation, pyrolysis with electricity generation, incineration with electricity generation, and landfill with electricity generation) for producing valuable products from MSW. Based on the developed superstructure, a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is developed to identify the optimal MSW processing pathways considering two different MSW handling scenarios. For ease of the solution, the MINLP model is linearized to its equivalent MILP form, and solved in GAMS. The solution to the optimization problem provides the optimal/promising route for the synthesis of useful products from MSW under chosen economic objective function. The developed framework is applied on a case study of Abu Dhabi Emirate to find the optimal processing pathway for handling and processing of MSW into energy and value-added products. The optimization results show that an integrated pathway comprising of recycling the recyclable components of MSW along with the production of bioethanol from the rest of the waste via gasification followed by catalytic transformation can provide potential economic benefits. A sensitivity analysis is also executed to investigate the effect of key economic and technical parameters on the optimization results.

In the first part of this investigation, a Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) producing 620 MW of electricity was simulated using the commercial software Aspen Hysys V9.0 and the Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) equation of state. The aim of this second part is to use exergy-based analyses in order to calculate its exergy efficiency and evaluate its environmental impact under standard conditions. For the exergy efficiency, the performance index under investigation is the exergy destruction ratio (yD). The results of the study show that the combustor is the main contributor to the total exergy destruction of the power plant (yD = 24.35%) and has the lowest exergy efficiency of 75.65%. On the other hand, the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) has the lowest contribution to the exergy destruction (yD = 5.63%) of the power plant and the highest exergy efficiency of 94.37%. For the overall power plant, the exergy efficiency is equal to 53.28%. For the environmental impact of the power plant, the relative difference of exergy-related environmental impacts (rb) is utilized as the performance index for each equipment of the plant and the environmental impact of a kWh of electricity (EIE) is used to represent the performance index of the overall power plant. In agreement with the exergy analysis, the results indicate that the combustor and the HRSG have respectively the highest (rb = 32.19%) and the lowest (rb = 5.96%) contribution to the environmental impact. The environmental impact of a kWh of electricity of the power plant is 34.26 mPts/kWh (exergy destruction only), and 34.42 mPts/kWh (both exergy destruction and exergy loss).

A process design and techno-economic analysis is proposed for sweetening ultrasour natural gas containing over 20% H2S and 30% total acid gases using a hybrid scheme approach. This type of gas resource is unique and can only be found in the Middle East. The hybrid scheme combines membrane and amine gas absorption systems. The study was made on the basis of process simulations and sensitivity analyses to find the most suitable process design and operating parameters using the software ProMax. A Pebax-based membrane module(s) is used as the primary sweetening method, whereas gas absorption is applied to meet the final gas product specifications. The hybrid scheme is benchmarked against the current stand-alone absorption system used to process this rare type of gas. It was found that the gas sweetening energy intensity can be substantially reduced using the hybrid scheme and be more cost-effective than conventional stand-alone absorption units for treating Middle Eastern ultrasour natural gas.