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COMPARING AL JAZEERA ENGLISH AND CNN ONLINE NEWS COVERAGE OF US-TALIBAN TALKS IN QATAR
No full textThe US-Taliban talks in Doha was one of the historic mediations ever hosted by a Gulf state in recent times. This thesis applied Johan Galtung's war and peace journalism framework to analyse how two major news outlets, Al Jazeera English and CNN framed US-Taliban talks in Doha during the period of July 2018 to March 2020. A content analysis of news articles from both media showed that Al Jazeera English was dominated by peace journalism and CNN was dominated by war journalism in their coverage. Additionally, the most salient indicators for the selected media were elite oriented and causes and consequences. When it comes to themes, it was found that both media prioritised peace negotiations and diplomacy followed by current state of war and negotiation and violence. The study also found the tone used by Al Jazeera English was favourable towards peace talks and CNN was unfavourable towards peace talks
Study on application of green-synthesized ZnO and Si nanoparticles in enhancing aquaculture sediment quality
Get PDFBackground: Fishpond sediments (FPS) are rich in organic carbon and nutrients, making them valuable as fertilizers and soil conditioners. Stabilizing heavy metals like chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) is essential to reduce their bioavailability and risks. This study evaluates zinc oxide (ZnO) and silicon (Si) nanoparticles synthesized from Azolla pinnata and Equisetum arvense for heavy metal immobilization and nutrient enhancement in FPS from San Jiang (SJ) and Tan Niu (TN), China. Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized using Azolla pinnata and Equisetum arvense. Fishpond sediments from San Jiang (SJ) and Tan Niu (TN) were treated with ZnO and Si nanoparticles. Heavy metals and nutrients were analyzed via ICP-OES and soil analysis, while sequential extraction assessed metal distribution in geochemical fractions. Results: The application of these nanoparticles, especially the green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (GSZnONPs), was found to significantly reduce the concentrations of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in both the overlying and pore water of the FPS. This reduction not only minimizes the leachability of these heavy metals, but also substantially decreases their bioavailability. The study recorded a notable shift in the acid-soluble metal fraction, resulting in an average reduction of Cr concentrations by 31–28%, Cu by 18–21%, and Zn by 32–23% in the sediments from San Jiang (SJ) and Tan Niu (TN). Moreover, the application of these nanoparticles also improved the nutrient profile of the sediments, potentially enhancing their utility as fertilizers. Conclusion: Zinc oxide and silicon nanoparticles synthesized from Azolla pinnata and Equisetum arvense are effective in immobilizing heavy metals in fishpond sediments, significantly reducing their bioavailability and potential environmental risks. The use of these green-synthesized nanoparticles not only mitigates heavy metal contamination, but also enhances the nutrient content of the sediments, making them more suitable for use as soil conditioners and fertilizers. This dual benefit highlights the potential of these nanoparticles as a sustainable solution for managing contaminated fishpond sediments while contributing to agricultural productivity.This study was partially supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC-31860728). The specific research fund of The Innovation Platform for Academicians of Hainan Province (YSPTZX20212), Key R & D projects in Hainan Province (No. ZDYF2021XDNY185), Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund (ZDYF2021SHFZ071). This work was funded by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2025R123), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Effectiveness on Gait, Balance, and Motor Functions in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
No full textBackgroundStudies on non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) for children with cerebral palsy (CP) have yielded inconsistent findings regarding motor skills. This research will evaluate its efficacy through a systematic review.MethodA thorough search was conducted on the PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases, encompassing all trials that examined the impact of NIBS on balance, gait, and motor skills in children with CP. The analysis adhered to PRISMA guidelines.ResultsThe review included 17 trials, 13 assessing NIBS protocols, involving 385 children in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed significant therapeutic effects on gait spatiotemporal outcomes in terms of walking speed (post-transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) multi-session treatment) and gait cadence (post-tDCS multi-session). In addition, tDCS multi-session showed significant therapeutic effects on standing abilities and mobility functions. However, no significant effect of tDCS on balance, step length, stride length, walking endurance, and GMFM-walking functions.ConclusionThis review highlighted the potential benefits of NIBS, particularly tDCS, in improving various motor functions in children with CP, such as walking speed, cadence, and mobility. However, its impact on balance and other gait factors remains inconclusive, indicating the need for further research to optimize NIBS protocols based on updated brain mapping findings
Shaping the future of primary healthcare: Factors influencing medical students' preference for family medicine specialty in Qatar
Get PDFBACKGROUND: As countries strive to strengthen primary healthcare systems, understanding medical students' specialty preferences, particularly for Family Medicine, becomes crucial. Objective of present study was to determine factors that influence medical students' preferences for Family Medicine in Qatar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study was conducted among medical students at one public university in Qatar from March 1, 2023, to March 15, 2023. Data collected using a structured, validated questionnaire; students participated in the study by filling an online questionnaire. Information sought included sociodemographic characteristics, medical specialty preferences, and the impact of 31 factors on these choices such as interest in dealing with diverse patient issues, and the influence of physician role models among others. Statistical analysis performed using SPSS version 26.0 Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to summarize participant demographics and medical specialty preferences. Mann-Whitney U-test tested the difference in preference for family medicine specialty by various students' characteristics. Logistic regression analysis performed to identify factors related to preferring Family Medicine. RESULTS: A total of 262 students completed the survey with age ranging between 17-24 years (Mean=20, SD=1.7 years); majority (68.3%) were females and 54.4% were non-Qatari. About 16% students reported having a first degree relative or a family friend with family medicine specialty. Compared to surgery and internal medicine, a fewer students selected family medicine as their preferred specialty. Surgery was ranked as the top career choice (53.4%) followed by internal medicine (36.5%) and pediatrics (31.7%). Presence of a personal connection to a field seemed to have a significant impact on student preference. Being in the clerkship phase of medical education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.18, 95% CI: 1.12-4.23, P = 0.022) and possessing a personal connection to Family Medicine (AOR= 3.46, 95% CI: 1.65-7.29, P = 0.001) significantly predicted the selection of Family Medicine between students' top two choices. CONCLUSION: Clinical exposure and personal connections influence students' preference for family medicine specialty. Promoting these elements through targeted educational and mentorship programs may increase students' interest in Family Medicine and help to address the gap between student preferences and the greater need for primary care providers
An IGDT optimization model for a prosumer-oriented citizen energy community considering hydrogen parking lots, energy sharing and thermal comfort
No full textThe integration of hydrogen vehicles into citizen-oriented energy communities presents a transformative opportunity to enhance energy resilience, sustainability, and democratization. With zero-emission profiles and rapid refueling capabilities, hydrogen vehicles are pivotal in advancing cleaner transportation solutions. However, uncertainties in driving patterns and refueling behaviors pose challenges to their seamless integration and management. This paper proposes a framework based on information gap decision theory (IGDT) to address these uncertainties within community hydrogen parking lots. These parking lots also function as community energy storage systems, utilizing electrolyzers, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage to manage both hydrogen and electrical energy. The approach facilitates energy sharing among prosumers while ensuring thermal comfort within the community. Results show that under a risk-averse strategy, the system tolerates up to 50% variability in travel distances without exceeding cost limits, while a risk-seeking strategy accommodates up to 60% variability at a 50% deviation factor.This publication was made possible by the 1st Cycle of ARG Grant No. ARG01-0504-230073, from the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council, Qatar. The findings herein reflect the work, and are solely the responsibility, of the authors. The authors also gratefully acknowledge support from Qatar University. Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library
Corrigendum: A prospective cohort study on cognitive and psychological outcomes in COVID-19 ICU survivors at 3 months of follow up (Frontiers in Medicine, (2024), 11, (1288761), 10.3389/fmed.2024.1288761)
No full textIn the published article, there was an error. The incorrect funder was listed. A correction has been made to the Funding and Acknowledgments. The correct Funding statement appears below.The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research and publication of this article. The publication of this work will be supported by the Medical Research Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. The Acknowledgments previously stated: \u201CWe would like to acknowledge Aaron Titus Abraham, Medical Intern, Pondicherry University, India for his contribution to literature review. We would also like to thank Qatar National Library for funding the publication of this work.\u201D The corrected Acknowledgments appears below:Scopu
Quality Assessment Tool within Systematic Reviews in Pediatric Dentistry in the Last Decade: Understanding the Threshold
Get PDFBackground: Numerous risk-of-bias tools are available to evaluate the quality of primary studies included in a systematic review (SR). Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of such tools in SRs within the field of pediatric dentistry and to explore whether a threshold for methodological quality has been implemented when selecting primary studies for inclusion. Materials and methods: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted across seven pediatric dentistry journals to identify SRs published between 2012 and 2023. The use, type, and extent of quality assessment tools applied in the SR process, along with the presence of a methodological quality threshold set by the authors, were analyzed. Results: Among the 198 SRs that met the inclusion criteria, 37 quality appraisal and risk-of-bias tools were used either individually or in combination. In this sample, only one-tenth (21/198; 10.6%) of the SRs included a defined threshold for the quality of primary studies. When considering only SRs with meta-analyses (MA), this percentage increased slightly to 17.3%. Conclusion: SRs in pediatric dentistry employ a variety of quality assessment tools to evaluate primary studies; however, only one-tenth of them included a defined threshold for the quality of the studies. The scientific community should adopt stricter reporting standards to enhance the quality of SRs, thereby ensuring that their findings can be effectively translated into clinical practice
Hybrid Deep Learning Model for Accurate Short-Term Electricity Price Forecasting
No full textAccurate short-term electricity price forecasting (STEPF) is critical for efficient energy market operations, guiding investment strategies, resource allocation, and consumer behavior. This study introduces a hybrid deep learning approach specifically designed to improve STEPF accuracy by leveraging historical Hourly Ontario Energy Price (HOEP) data from 2017 to 2019. The model integrates advanced techniques, including data preprocessing and denoising through a Stacked Denoising Autoencoder (SDAE), along with enhanced temporal modeling via Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) networks. By capturing the complex dynamics inherent in electricity pricing data, the proposed hybrid model significantly enhances forecasting accuracy. Trained on data from 2017 and 2018, with 2019 used for testing, the model achieves a strong correlation coefficient (R = 99.86%) and substantially lowers forecasting errors. Comparative evaluations against established forecasting methods highlight the model's superior performance. This work demonstrates the practical value of deep learning techniques in the energy sector, particularly in responding to the volatility of demand and supply in real-time electricity markets
Evaluating chemiluminescent immunoassays for syphilis detection: A comparative analysis
Get PDFBackgroundSyphilis, caused by Treponema pallidum (TP), remains a significant global public health concern, with approximately 8 million new cases annually. Diagnosing syphilis is challenging due to its often-asymptomatic nature during latent stages, necessitating a combination of diagnostic methods. This study evaluates the performance of a novel chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) developed by Mindray for detecting TP antibodies, comparing it to the widely used Abbott ARCHITECT Syphilis Treponemal Test (Architect-TP), the rapid plasma regain (RPR) test, and the Fujiribio INNO-LIA® Syphilis Score line immunoassay (INNO-LIA-TP). MethodsWe selected 180 samples that exhibited agreement or discrepancies between the RPR and Architect-TP assays. The selection included 40 cases that were RPR positive and Architect-TP positive, 40 cases that were RPR positive and Architect-TP negative, and 100 cases that were negative in both RPR and Architect-TP. All samples underwent re-testing using the Mindray-TP and INNO-LIA-TP assays. ResultsMindray-TP and Architect-TP exhibited excellent sensitivity of 100 % (95 % CI: 91–100) and specificity of 100 % (95 % CI: 97.4–100), with perfect agreement (κ= 1.00) compared to INNO-LIA-TP. Notably, 40 cases (28.6 %; 40/140) demonstrated false-positive results when using the RPR test compared to INNO-LIA-TP, indicating a substantial false-positive rate for the RPR assay. ConclusionThis study highlights the high diagnostic accuracy of the Mindray-TP assay, positioning it as a reliable and efficient tool for syphilis screening in high-volume laboratories. Given its operational efficiency and strong agreement with gold-standard assays, Mindray-TP can enhance diagnostic workflows, leading to timely syphilis detection and improved patient outcomes
Sufi Poetic Narrative in Light of Greimas' Actantial Model: Ibn Arabi's "Tarjuman al-Ashwaq" as a Case Study
Get PDFتسعى هذه الدراسة إلى الكشف عن البنية السردية لديوان ترجمان الأشواق، ببيان أنظمتها وطرائق تعبيرها، ومحاولة تفسير ذلك بما يربط هذه البنية بوظيفتها في سياق توجّهات الخطاب الشعري الصوفي، كما تسعى الدراسة إلى الكشف عن التقاطعات القائمة بين الشعري والسردي في ديوان ترجمان الأشواق؛ إذ يعدّ السرد الشعري الصوفي بمثابة أداة يمكن من خلالها نسف المألوف دلاليا، والإخبار عن تجربة روحية متعالية على المكان والزمان، تجربة تدخل في تماهٍ مع التجربة الشعرية. لأجل ذلك كان الرهان المتوخّى هو التركيز على دور التكامل الوظيفي - بين الأجناس والأنواع الأدبية - في تحقيق ملاءمة منهجية تضمن تأويل النصوص الصوفية تأويلا منسجمًا ومتساوقا مع السياق العام الذي جاءت فيه.This study examines the narrative structure of Ibn Arabi's "Interpreter of Desires" (Tarjuman al-Ashwaq), aiming to elucidate its intricate systems and expressive modalities. By interpreting this structure within the broader context of Sufi poetic discourse, the research illuminates the functional role of narrative elements in mystical poetry. The study focuses on the intersection of poetic and narrative dimensions in the work, positing that Sufi poetic narrative serves as a transformative tool, simultaneously subverting conventional semantics and articulating transcendent spiritual experiences that merge seamlessly with the poetic form.
Central to this analysis is the exploration of functional integration across literary genres and types. This approach facilitates a methodological framework that enables a nuanced interpretation of Sufi texts, ensuring analytical coherence with their original contextual milieu. By employing Greimas's actantial model, this study offers fresh insights into the complex interplay between form and meaning in Sufi poetic narratives, contributing to a deeper understanding of this rich literary tradition