15 research outputs found
Construction project delay-analysis techniques
No full textDue to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79).Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.The construction industry is considered one of the largest money-generating industries of the economy. Construction time is a highly critical aspect for all parties involved in a project. However, delays in construction projects seem to be inevitable, which results in conflict as every party claims that the other is responsible for the delay. Delays that can affect construction time may cause claims, some claims can reach litigation. There is a need in the construction industry to analyze delays using the most appropriate delay-analysis technique. The selection of delay-analysis method to analyze a delay is a critical factor that can dramatically affect the delay analysis results. There is a pressing need to resolve conflicts among different parties by implementing delay-analysis techniques that lead to fair analysis results depending on the amount of information that is available at the time the delay is being performed and the timing of applying the delay-analysis. This study focuses on two aspects of delay analysis; the first aspect is to describe different delay-analysis techniques that can be applied to resolve claims among different parties involved in a dispute, the second aspect is to compare different dynamic delay-analysis methods that can be applied to resolve claims and compare the result of applying those methods. The results of this research benefit different parties among the construction industry such as the owners, designers, contractors, and lawyers
Cost/Benefit Evaluation Of Sulaibiya Wastewater Treatment Plant In Kuwait
No full textIn May 2001, the Government of Kuwait awarded a build, operate and transfer (BOT) contract to a local company to finance, design, build and operate an advanced wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Sulaibiya. The contract has a 30-year life, comprising 30 months of design and build and 27.5 years of operation and management. The total project cost was K.D. 116 million (US 442 million). The Sulaibiya plant currently treats up to 375 million imperial gallons. It is designed for extension to 600 million imperial gallons and is the first of its kind to be built in the Middle East. It is the largest in the world to use ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) for water purification. Ultrafiltration will remove all suspended solids and will provide a substantial reduction in micro biological activities. The main obstacle against the use of ultrafiltration membranes for WWTP has always been the higher operating cost of ultrafiltration. Up until now, this higher cost has prevented implementation of UF in all plants. A new membrane has been designed with the aim of tailoring it toward lowest total cost of ownership. Typical operating conditions have been used to quantify the following parameters for a potential large scale wastewater treatment system (UF + RO): amortization of investment in UF membranes and equipment; operating costs of the UF system; reduction in operating costs of the RO, when being compared against a conventional treatment system; and the increased output of the RO plant due to higher availability and shorter construction time. The total cost of ownership of a UF based RO plant has been determined (expressed in US/m3 of water produced). Taking all factors into account, the total cost of ownership of a dual membrane WWTP (UF + RO) will be 2–7% lower than the total cost of ownership of on conventional retreatment plant
Prevalence and Predictors of Intestinal Parasitic Infections at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 2019 to 2023: A Retrospective Study
No full textShaymaa A Abdalal,1 Hatoon A Niyazi,2 Soa’ad M Alsulami,3 Ala A Azhari,2 Hanouf A Niyazi,2 Jawahir A Mokhtar,2 Dalya M Attallah,3 Faten A Al Braikan,2 Moroj A Aldarmasi1 1Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 2Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 3Clinical and Molecular Microbiology Laboratories, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Shaymaa A Abdalal, Email [email protected]: Parasitic infections are a primary cause of illness worldwide and a public health problem. This study highlighted the prevalence of intestinal parasitic (IP) infections and their updated epidemiologic status from 2019 to 2023 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from 2019 to 2023 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. The laboratory results, socio-demographic information, and the year of data collection were collected from the hospital’s parasitology laboratory. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Ethical approval was obtained from the National Committee of Bioethics (NCBE) - King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, with an approval number of 258-22.Results: During the study period, 7673 stool samples were requested for intestinal parasite examination. The prevalence of IP infection from 2019 to 2023 was 212/7673, with a percentage of 2.8%. Infected patients had a mean (SD) age of 37.68 (17.27) years. Most infected patients were females (61%) and from Saudi Arabia (37.1%). Most stool samples were brown (79.1%), and about half were soft (51.7%). 2019 had the highest number of infected cases (28.3%), while the number of cases decreased in 2023 (8.8%), the lowest during five years. The most predominant parasite among study subjects was Blastocystis hominis (48.11%).Conclusion: The prevalence of IP infection is lower than in previous comparable surveys. Maintaining personal hygiene, conducting epidemiological surveillance, and enhancing environmental sanitation can prevent and control infections.Keywords: intestinal parasites, infection, prevalence, Saudi Arabi
Gut Microbial and Associated Metabolite Markers for Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
No full textGlobally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of mortality worldwide. Considerable evidence indicates that dysbiosis of the gut microbial community and its metabolite secretions play a fundamental role in advanced adenoma (ADA) and CRC development and progression. This study is a systematic review that aims to assess the clinical association between gut microbial markers and/or gut and circulating metabolites with ADA and CRC. Five electronic databases were searched by four independent reviewers. Only controlled trials that compared ADA and/or CRC with healthy control (HC) using either untargeted (16s rRNA gene or whole genome sequencing) or targeted (gene-based real-time PCR) identification methods for gut microbiome profile, or untargeted or targeted metabolite profiling approaches from the gut or serum/plasma, were eligible. Three independent reviewers evaluated the quality of the studies using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Twenty-four studies were eligible. We identified strong evidence of two microbial markers Fusobacterium and Porphyromonas for ADA vs. CRC, and nine microbial markers Lachnospiraceae-Lachnoclostridium, Ruminococcaceae-Ruminococcus, Parvimonas spp., Parvimonas micra, Enterobacteriaceae, Fusobacterium spp., Bacteroides, Peptostreptococcus-Peptostreptococcus stomatis, Clostridia spp.-Clostridium hylemonae, Clostridium symbiosum, and Porphyromonas-Porphyromonas asaccharolytica for CRC vs. HC. The remaining metabolite marker evidence between the various groups, including ADA vs. HC, ADA vs. HC, and CRC vs. HC, was not of sufficient quality to support additional findings. The identified gut microbial markers can be used in a panel for diagnosing ADA and/or CRC. Further research in the metabolite markers area is needed to evaluate the possibility to use in diagnostic or prognostic markers for colorectal cancer
Epidemiological and Clinical Insights into Acinetobacter baumannii: A Six-Year Study on Age, Antibiotics, and Specimens
No full textYousef Almoghrabi,1,2,* Hussam Daghistani,1,2,* Hanouf A Niyazi,3,* Hatoon A Niyazi,3,* Hind AbdulMajed,3,* Noha A Juma,3,* Noura Daffa,3,* Noof R Helmi,3,* Mohammed W Al-Rabia,3,4,* Jawahir A Mokhtar,3,5,6,* Bandar Hasan Saleh,3,* Dalya M Attallah,5 Maram Matar,5 Hani Ahmed Shukri,5 Shahd A Moqaddam,5 Sara Alamoudi,5 Khalil K Alkuwaity,6,7,* Turki Abujamel,6,7,* Ahmad M Sait,2,7 Mohammed Mufrrih,7,8 Ibrahim A Al-Zahrani,7,8,* Stephen O’hagan,9 Mazen A Ismail,10,* Ohood S Alharbi,11,* Hattan Jamal Momin,12,* Ibrahim Mohammed Abu,13,* Abdelbagi Alfadil,3,4,* Karem Ibrahem3 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 2Regenerative Medicine Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Centre of Research Excellence for Drug Research and Pharmaceutical Industries, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 6Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 8Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 10Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 11Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; 12Medical Service Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 13Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Karem Ibrahem, Email [email protected]: This six-year retrospective study provides an in-depth analysis of the epidemiological and clinical patterns associated with Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) infections, focusing on age distribution, antibiotic resistance profiles, and specimen types.Aim: The research examines the incidence and characteristics of both non-Multi-Drug Resistant (non-MDR) and Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) A. baumannii strains by reviewing patient records from January 2016 to December 2022.Methods: Through a statistical analysis, the study highlights the incidence rates across diverse age groups and explores the impact of antibiotic treatment regimens on infection outcomes. Additionally, it identifies the primary clinical specimen types for each strain, noting an association between non-MDR A. baumannii and midstream urine samples, while MDR A. baumannii strains were more frequently found in respiratory, wound, peripheral, and central line swaps/specimens.Results: The results indicate that in 2016, non-MDR A. baumannii infections were notably more frequent compared to MDR A. baumannii cases. However, a significant shift occurred in 2021 and 2022, with a marked decrease in non-MDR A. baumannii cases and an increase in MDR A. baumannii infections. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that non-MDR strains were commonly tested against cefazolin, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, nitrofurantoin, oxacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. In contrast, MDR strains were frequently tested against amikacin, cefepime, colistin, meropenem, imipenem, and tigecycline.Conclusion: This study enhances the understanding of A. baumannii clinical behaviour and resistance patterns, offering valuable insights to support future research and inform strategies for infectious disease management and control.Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii, MDR, the epidemiological and clinical pattern
Rounding Down Chemotherapeutic Agents to the Nearest Vial Size as a Cost Containment Measure
No full textEvaluation of Pharmacology and Pathophysiology Knowledge of Epilepsy among Senior Pharmacy Students: A Single Center Experience
No full textBackground and Objectives: Epilepsy is a chronic disease that causes substantial morbidity and mortality. Pharmacists represent an integral role in managing patients with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge about the pharmacology and pathophysiology of epilepsy among senior pharmacy students. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study using a designed questionnaire to measure the pharmacological and physiological knowledge of senior pharmacy students regarding epilepsy who are studying at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from August to October 2022. Results: A total of 211 senior clinical pharmacy students responded to the questionnaire. The majority of the respondents were 4th year pharmacy students. The numbers of female and male participants were equal (106 and 105 students, respectively). The participants represented an acceptable level of knowledge about the pathophysiology aspects of epilepsy, with a mean total score of 6.22 ± 1.9 out of a maximum score of 10. The respondents reported that epilepsy could be due to genetic predisposition combined with environmental conditions (80.1%) or brain stroke (17.1%). Regarding the respondent knowledge about the pharmacology of epilepsy, the total score was 4.6 ± 2.1 (maximum attainable score: 9). Conclusions: The majority of pharmacy students had knowledge about the pathophysiology concept of the disease; however, low knowledge was shown by the respondents regarding the pharmacology of epilepsy. Thus, there is a need to identify better strategies to improve students’ education
Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
No full textObjectives
The purposes of this study were to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity and to evaluate the nutritional habits, and related factors among the Students of Jazan University.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was carried out during the academic year 2014/2015 in Jazan University, Gizan, South West Saudi Arabia. A total of 436 students 19–25 y of age were examined. The questionnaires, including items on eating habits, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics, were completed by the students. Data on weight, height were also collected. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Differences were considered statistically significant at P. value < 0.05.
Results
The mean weight for males and females were 67.84 and 54.79 kg respectively, with significant differences between males and females (P. value <0.05). The mean BMI for all study participants was reported as 23.31 (kg/m²), also with significant difference between the males and females groups. About 45% of the students were of normal weight; the rate of obesity and underweight among students was very high (33.6% and 21.1% respectively), and their dietary habits were unhealthy. Regularity of meals was found only among (16.5% and 20.4%) males and females respectively. 83.3% of males and 95.1% of females reported eating snacks during the day.
Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of overweight and obesity were very high among the studied students. The study showed the need for health education programs on nutritional education in universities in order to increase awareness of students towards healthy eating and lifestyle.
 
Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
No full textObjectives
The purposes of this study were to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity and to evaluate the nutritional habits, and related factors among the Students of Jazan University.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was carried out during the academic year 2014/2015 in Jazan University, Gizan, South West Saudi Arabia. A total of 436 students 19–25 y of age were examined. The questionnaires, including items on eating habits, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics, were completed by the students. Data on weight, height were also collected. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Differences were considered statistically significant at P. value < 0.05.
Results
The mean weight for males and females were 67.84 and 54.79 kg respectively, with significant differences between males and females (P. value <0.05). The mean BMI for all study participants was reported as 23.31 (kg/m²), also with significant difference between the males and females groups. About 45% of the students were of normal weight; the rate of obesity and underweight among students was very high (33.6% and 21.1% respectively), and their dietary habits were unhealthy. Regularity of meals was found only among (16.5% and 20.4%) males and females respectively. 83.3% of males and 95.1% of females reported eating snacks during the day.
Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of overweight and obesity were very high among the studied students. The study showed the need for health education programs on nutritional education in universities in order to increase awareness of students towards healthy eating and lifestyle.
