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From Clinics to Communities: Understanding Public Perceptions of Dental Services in Pakistan
No full textIntroduction: Access to dental services is a core component of public healthcare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perceptions and experiences of the public regarding access, quality and affordability of dental services in Pakistan. Methods: It was an analytical cross-sectional study based on an online survey. The data collection instrument was based on eight items related to participant perceptions and experiences of dental services in public and private sectors. Pretesting of the survey questionnaire was done, and the target participants were approached through social media, and dental service providers. Results: A total of 1007 participants representing all provinces of the country responded to the study questionnaire including 54.32% (n = 547) females and 45.68% (n = 460) males. Education and financial status showed the largest effect on perceptions. Although all groups agreed that dental professionals contribute positively to improving public health, those in the ‘No Education’ or ‘Poor’ groups showed fewer positive perceptions about the accessibility, quality, and affordability of dental services. Perceptions of dental services between genders showed minimal differences. Chi-squared tests of association showed significant (p < 0.001) relationships between personal awareness of oral health and respondent characteristics such as education, employment, financial status and location. Conclusions: This study provides useful insights into the public perceptions and experiences of dental health services in Pakistan. The findings reveal disparities in access, quality, and affordability of dental services among disadvantaged groups, particularly within the public sector. Oral health awareness was also reported to be low amongst people with low educational and financial status. Given the limitations of the current study, further research using qualitative methods may provide a more in-depth understanding of the facilitators and barriers to dental services to inform a major reform to improve public dental services in the country. Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE): Members of the public with previous experience of using dental services were involved in pretesting of the study questionnaire Pretesting of the survey questionnaire was done in two phases: In the first phase, cognitive interviews were conducted with eight members of the public including four participants each with proficiency in English and Urdu. The purpose of the cognitive interviews was to determine that the participants were able to comprehend all items of the questionnaire accurately. In the second phase the questionnaire was piloted with 15 members of the public who were given a choice to answer the questionnaire in English or Urdu based on their individual preference.Open access funding for this study was provided by the Qatar National Library
AI in higher education: unveiling academicians' perspectives on teaching, research, and ethics in the age of ChatGPT
No full textThis study examines the potentials and challenges of integrating conversational AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools in higher education. Specifically, the study delves into how ChatGPT is reshaping teaching, learning, research, and student evaluation while addressing ethical concerns such as academic integrity. We employ a qualitative research design based on semi-structured interviews with 12 highly accomplished academicians from North America, Asia, and Europe's higher education institutions. Our analysis reveals ChatGPT's potential to uplift educational productivity, learning outcomes, creativity, and idea generation but raises apprehensions about academic honesty, authenticity, and over-reliance. While ChatGPT can enhance educational practices such as brainstorming, analysis, and skills acquisition, its unchecked use may impede learning, critical thinking, and research quality. The study advocates for the responsible AI use in academia, underscoring educators and policymakers to establish policies guiding conversational AI ethical applications. Thus, training faculty and executing institutional policies are essential for effective and ethical integration of ChatGPT and other AI tools in higher education. Finally, this research contributes to ongoing research on AI in education by providing valuable insights that can harness potential of these transformative tools while upholding academic integrity and standards.Scopu
Problematising PBL in Higher Education in GGC Countries: The Case of Qatar
Get PDFIn this chapter, we use Foucault’s problematisation approach to analyse the ways in which the concept of Problem- and Project-based Learning (PBL) is constructed and contested within the GCC higher education context, with a particular focus on the Qatari case. The discussion centres on how the discourse around PBL has been shaped in the particular historical, social, and political context, and the ways in which it has been framed as a solution to certain educational problems. Along these lines, three main themes are illustrated, namely (1) false universalism and pedagogic hegemony, (2) from fidelity of implementation to systems-thinking perspectives, and (3) going beyond the individual and into the institutional space. By analysing the ways in which PBL may become problematic within the Qatari HE context, this chapter concludes with suggestions for understanding the limitations and challenges in implementing a PBL approach in a non-Western context, and finding local solutions to local problems that build on indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing
Rethinking the Diagnosis and Management of Antibody-Mediated Rejection in Multidisciplinary Transplant Meetings: A Global Survey and Banff Working Group Recommendations
Get PDFIntroduction: The diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) requires input from several transplant professionals. Bringing clinical and laboratory experts together may help standardize care. Yet, little is known about current global practices of multidisciplinary meetings for AMR management. Methods: The Banff Antibody-Mediated Injury Working Group approached professional societies worldwide to distribute a survey on the availability, content, participants, perceived value, and barriers to the implementation of multidisciplinary meetings. Results: Four hundred two transplant professionals from six continents caring for kidney (90.55%), liver (21.14%), pancreas (20.65%), heart (15.17%), and lung (14.18%) transplant recipients participated in the survey, and 302 (75.12%) reported attending multidisciplinary meetings. Multidisciplinary meetings were more prevalent in academic centers, in high- versus low-to-middle-income regions (81.03% and 65.99%, respectively; p < 0.001), and in mid-to-large size transplant programs compared to smaller programs. Perceived value included continued professional development (97.68%) and trainee education (95.70%). AMR was reported to be discussed at these meetings by 217 respondents with case presentations reviewing patient characteristics, histology, and HLA antibody data. A third of the respondents reviewed non-HLA/pathogenic autoantibodies and/or molecular diagnostics, with the latter being more frequently applied in high- versus low-to-middle-income regions (46.71% and 12.31%, respectively; p < 0.001). AMR case presentations allowed diagnosis revision, actionable management plans and were perceived as improving care. The primary barrier to the implementation of multidisciplinary meetings (63.27%) was the unavailability of transplant professionals (e.g., transplant immunologists). Conclusion: Facilitating multidisciplinary meetings through the remote participation of pertinent experts and incentivizing participation through remuneration, protected time, or continued medical education may help standardize AMR diagnosis and harmonize its management
The claim of Methodological Inconsistency in Sheikh al-Qaraḍāwī's Jurisprudential Approach: A Study and Evaluation
No full textهدفُ البحث: اختطَّ الشيخ القرضاوي، رحمه الله، منهجًا فقهيًّا مباينًا للمناهج الفقهيّة السائدة في السّاحة العلميّة، ولا سيما المناهج المذهبيّة التقليديّة والمناهج السَّلفيّة، وتتابع عددٌ من الباحثين من الاتجاه المذهبي التقليدي على وسم منهجه هذا بالتناقض والاضطراب؛ أي إنّه لا يسير على أصول فقهية منهجية مطّردة ثابتة، بل يغيِّر فيها عند النظر الفقهي، بحسب المسائل، استجابة لضغوط الواقع، وتوخّيًا للأسهل. وقد أقاموا جملة من الدلائل، وضربوا عددًا من الأمثلة لإثبات هذه الدّعوى. وقد هدف البحث إلى دراسة هذه الدّعوى، كما عرضها أصحابها، لبيان مدى صدقها وصحّتها.
منهج الدراسة: اتبع الباحث المنهج الوصفي التحليلي ثم النقدي، حيث عرض الدعوى ودلائلها كما ذكرها أصحابها، ثم ناقشها إجمالا وتفصيلا في ضوء طبيعة الاجتهاد عند الفقهاء، وواقعه في منهج الشيخ القرضاوي.
النتيجة: خلص الباحث إلى أنّ الدّعوى المذكورة تفتقر إلى الدّقّة والموضوعيّة، وأنّ منهج الشيخ، رحمه الله، وإن شابه من الاضطراب ما لا يخلو منه مذهب مجتهد، فهو لا يقلّ ثباتًا وانتظامًا عن منهج الفقه المذهبي.
أصالة البحث: البحث هو أوّل دراسة تتناول دعوى اضطراب المنهج عند الشيخ القرضاوي وتُقيِّمُها.Objectives: Sheikh al-Qaraḍāwī established a jurisprudential approach distinct from the prevalent methodologies in the scholarly arena, notably differing from traditional madhhab-based (school-based) and Salafi methodologies. Numerous scholars from the traditional school-based perspective have described his approach as contradictory and inconsistent, suggesting it lacks consistent, systematic, and established jurisprudential principles. They argue that he alters his approach in accordance with the issues at hand, often influenced by contemporary circumstances and in favour of the easier option. These scholars have presented a range of evidence and examples to support their claims. This study aims to examine these claims, as presented by their proponents, to assess their accuracy and validity.
Methodology: The author employed a descriptive, analytical, and then critical approach, presenting the claims and their evidence as cited by their proponents and then discussing them both generally and in detail in light of the nature of ijtihad (independent reasoning) among jurists, mainly as it appears in Sheikh al-Qaraḍāwī’s methodology.
Results: The author concludes that the aforementioned claims lack precision and objectivity and that the Sheikh’s methodology is no less stable and consistent than the traditional school-based jurisprudential approach.
Originality: This study is the first to address and evaluate the claims of methodological inconsistency in Sheikh al-Qaraḍāwī's approach
Chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) and population genomics offer insights into the falcon population in Mongolia
No full textThe taxonomic classification of a falcon population found in the Mongolian Altai region in Asia has been heavily debated for two centuries and previous studies have been inconclusive, hindering a more informed conservation approach. Here, we generated a chromosome-level gyrfalcon reference genome using the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) assembly pipeline. Using whole genome sequences of 49 falcons from different species and populations, including "Altai" falcons, we analyzed their population structure, admixture patterns, and demographic history. We find that the Altai falcons are genomic mosaics of saker and gyrfalcon ancestries, and carry distinct W and mitochondrial haplotypes that cluster with the lanner falcon. The Altai maternally-inherited haplotypes diverged 422,000 years before present (290,000-550,000 YBP) from the ancestor of sakers and gyrfalcons, both of which, in turn, split 109,000 YBP (70,000-150,000 YBP). The Altai W chromosome has 31 coding variants in 29 genes that may possibly influence important structural, behavioral, and reproductive traits. These findings provide insights into the question of Altai falcons as a candidate distinct species.The authors would like to thank Al-Gannas Qatari Society, The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara, Doha, Qatar, for their support and funding since the inception of the project. We also thank Souq Waqif Falcon Hospital, Qatar University, Sidra Medicine, Um Haish Falcon and Houbara Conservation Center, Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility and The Vertebrate Genomes Laboratory, Rockefeller University, for their contributions to this work. We also would like to express our gratitude to the Animal Resources Department, and Environmental Protection Reserves & Wildlife Department, Ministry of Municipality and Environment in Qatar for their support and assistance for this project. QA is supported by strategic funding from Monash University (STG-000114).Scopu
High frequency volatility forecasting and risk assessment using neural networks-based heteroscedasticity model
No full textHigh frequency volatility forecasting is essential for timely risk management and informed decision-making in dynamic financial markets. However, accurate forecasting is challenging due to the rapid nature of market movements and the complexity of underlying economic factors. This paper introduces a novel architecture combining Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) and Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP)-based models for enhanced volatility forecasting and risk assessment, where input variables are processed through GARCH-type models for volatility forecasting. The proposed GARCH-based MLP-Mixer (GaMM) model incorporates the stacking of multi-layer perceptrons, enabling deep representation learning, facilitating the extraction of temporal and feature information through operations along both time and feature dimensions, and addressing the complexity of high-frequency time-series data. The proposed model is evaluated on three high frequency financial times series datasets over three different years. The computational results demonstrate the proposed model’s superior performance over sixteen forecasting methods in three error metrics, Value-at-risk, and statistical tests for high frequency volatility forecasting and risk assessment tasks.Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library. The authors also acknowledge the financial support provided by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India (Grant No. MTR/2021/000425) and the supercomputing resources from the IIT Guwahati for conducting the research work presented in this paper
The International Collaboration of Pharmacy Journal Editors (ICPJE) formally constituted to foster quality around clinical and social pharmacy practice research publications
No full textThe Granada statements were a result of the need to strengthen clinical, social and administrative pharmacy practice as an area of knowledge that translates into practice, research andpolicy. As a response, a group of clinical and social pharmacy practice journal editors launched an initiative in Granada in 2023, to discuss ways to improve the quality of publications in this area, which culminated in the Granada statements. Eighteen statements were developed, clustered into six main domains: (1) the appropriate use of terminology; (2) developing impactful abstracts; (3) having the required peer reviews; (4) journal scattering; (5) more effective and wiser use of journal and article performance metrics; and (6) authors’ selection of the most appropriate pharmacy practice journal to submit their work. The full Granada statements have been published in 14 journals [1–14]
Pharmacological Frontiers: The Rise of Selective NaV1.8 Inhibition for Pain Management
No full textPain is a multifaceted disorder encompassing sensory, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. It presents a ubiquitous challenge to human health and well-being, demanding effective and safe management strategies [1]. Various pharmacological interventions, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioids, have been employed in the management of pain. However, the efficacy of these agents is often limited by off-target effects, tolerability issues, and the potential for adverse events, thus necessitating a need for developing novel and selective analgesics
Sectorial Connectivity Behavior in Times of Turmoil: A Comparison of a Geopolitical and Health Crises
No full textThis research investigates the network connectivity of Qatar's stock market during periods of volatility. It shows how connectivity between sectors altered prior to, during, and after the lockdown, as well as after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do this, we employed a Bayesian Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregressive (TVP-VAR) connectedness approach, which permits us to display stock market contagion over time. We also employ a quantile analysis, allowing for the capture of the dynamic connectedness among sectors under heterogeneous market conditions and checking the robustness of the TVP-VAR findings. The analysis of daily sector index data from April 1, 2007, to October 20, 2021, reveals that the geopolitical crisis significantly increased sectoral connectedness more than the health crisis, shifting network patterns during periods of high market volatility. This paper contributes to the literature by being the first to specifically compare the influence of these two crisis types on the connectedness patterns of Qatar's market, employing innovative methodologies to offer deeper insights into the time-varying nature of market contagions. The findings provide substantial implications for policymakers and investors regarding crisis management and investment strategies.This research was supported by the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) under grant number [QNRF-RRC02-0708-210004]. Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.Scopu