966 research outputs found
Al Ain Civic Center: Masterplan
No full textAn Urban Planning Research Workshop II (UPL 682) project by Areej Alkandari and Joud Razzaz entitled, "AlAin Civic Center: Masterplan", submitted in January 2017. Project supervisor is Prof. Rafael Pizarro
Synthesis, characterisation and crystal structure of a novel pyridyl urea macrocycle
No full textA novel pyridyl urea based macrocycle has been synthesised and fully characterised including a single crystal X-ray structure determination. The synthetic approach first involves the reaction of benzyloxycarbonylaminopropyl-3-isocyanate with t-butyl 2-[(2-aminopyridin-3-yl)oxy]acetate resulting in a coupling product. After deprotection of the amine and acid moieties and coupling subsequent coupling in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC), a macrocycle is formed. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure of the macrocycle reveals as expected a non-binding conformation with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the urea NH and the pyridyl nitrogen
Corrigendum: Performance evaluation of five commercial assays in assessing seroprevalence of HEV antibodies among blood donors
No full textThe affiliation for author Lukman Thalib was incorrectly listed as number 5. It should have been listed as number 3. Please see corrected author and affiliation list below:
Enas S. Al-Absi,1,2 Duaa W. Al- Sadeq,1 Manaf H. Younis,3 Hadi M. Yassine,2 Omnya M. Abdalla,1 Areej G. Mesleh,1 Tameem A. Hadwan,1 Joshua O. Amimo,4,5 Lukman Thalib,3 and Gheyath K. Nasrallah1,2,*
1 Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
2 Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
3 Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
4 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
5 Biosciences of Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused.
© 2019 The AuthorsNo Full Tex
Soil Analytical Capabilities for Sustainable Land Management Across National Soil Services in the Mediterranean
No full textSoil monitoring is essential for pursuing several sustainable development goals including ‘Zero Hunger’ and ‘Life on Land’. This study examined the status of national soil monitoring laboratories in Mediterranean countries through a multi-country survey to assess strengths and gaps. The results showed that most national soil labs performed basic tests related to soil health and agricultural management, such as texture, pH, and nutrient analysis. However, fewer labs performed more specific tests that are also relevant to these applications such as compaction and biological analysis. Furthermore, tests required for assessing soil pollution, such as heavy metals, were conducted only by few labs. This was mostly due to a lack of equipment like atomic absorption spectrometers. In total, 75% of labs reported good quality of the instruments and frequent calibration. The staff were generally well qualified, with most holding graduate degrees, and women comprised 58% of the staff. Many national services started using electronic reports and provided result interpretation for end users, but not all used lab information systems. The findings highlight the need for better equipment, more advanced testing, and stronger digital management systems. Addressing these issues will help harmonize soil data and support sustainable land management and agriculture in the region
Al-jarab "Hikayat Najaa" Narrative memory and Libyan folklore memory
No full textإن التراث الثقافي الليبي يحتفظ بأدق تفاصيل الحياة والممارسات، ويمثل الذاكرة الشعبية التي ساهمت في كشف تاريخ المجتمع الليبي، وقد استفاد الكاتب أحمد يوسف عقيلة من هذه الذاكرة الشعبية الشفهية الجماعية، التي تتكامل من خلالها عقول وأجيال الشعب الليبي، وسجل هذا التراث في أدبه. وتعد رواية "حكاية نجع" مخزونًا شعبيًا وثقافيًا للحكايات الشعبية والواقعية الليبية، وقد نقلت لنا طبيعة الحياة في المجتمع البدوي الليبي، ويؤكد هذا التراث الثقافي الليبي على تشابه أو تماثل الحياة في المجتمع الليبي، كما يحافظ على ملامح الشخصية الليبية المميزة. وتظل أحداث حكاية نجع عالقة في الذاكرة الجمعية الشعبية للشعب الليبي، وتعيش بحذافيرها على الشفاه، محفوظة بكاملها في الذاكرة الفولكلورية للشعب الليبي. أما المنهج المستخدم في هذا البحث، فهو المنهج الوصفي الذي يقوم على وصف مظاهر التأثير والتأثر بالتراث الشعبي الليبي، وتجلياته في رواية حكاية نجع للكاتب عقيلة، والشخصيات والأحداث في إطار من هذا التراث العظيم. وأبرز نتائج أن قصة الجراب لأحمد يوسف عقيلة، تُمثل قيمةً فولكلورية، وصفية أدبية، سُطّرت بحروف تعجّ بالحياة، والحكايات الليبية، تُسجل كل ما يتعلق بالإنسان الليبي من ملامح. كما أن هناك حضورًا قويًّا لملامح الشخصية الليبية المميزة في قصة الجراب، وهو ما تؤكده أحداث حكاية نجع.Libyan cultural heritage preserves the finest details of life and practices, representing the popular memory that has contributed to revealing the history of Libyan society. Writer Ahmed Youssef Aqeela has benefited from this collective oral popular memory, where the minds and generations of the Libyan people integrate and record this heritage in his literature. The novel "Hikayat Najaa" is a popular and cultural inventory of Libyan folktales and realities that have conveyed to us the nature of life in the Libyan Bedouin society. This Libyan cultural heritage emphasizes the similarity or resemblance of life in Libyan society and preserving the distinctive Libyan character traits. The events of "Hikayat Najaa" remain stuck in the collective popular memory of the Libyan people, living on their lips, fully preserved in the folkloric memory of the Libyan people. The methodology used in this research is the descriptive method that describes the aspects of the impact and influence of Libyan popular heritage and its manifestations in the novel "Hikayat Najaa" by the writer Aqeela. It analyzes the characters and events within the framework of this great heritage. The most significant results of this research are that the story of "Al-Jarab" by Ahmed Youssef Aqeela represents a folkloric, literary, and descriptive value, written with letters full of life and Libyan tales, recording everything related to the features of the Libyan people. There is also a strong presence of distinctive Libyan character traits in the story of "Al-Jarab," which is confirmed by the events of "Hikayat Najaa.
The role of “citizen journalist” in Arab revolution from the perspective of the elites in Arab media (Syria model) / Areej Al Bostangy
No full textThe Arab Spring has been shaped by successive episodes of the revolutions of freedom, the largest geopolitical movement that has rocked the Arab world and the Middle East since the 1960s, which witnessed the eruption of the so-called national revolution that sanctified the Arab exodus from the yoke of old colonialism and their aspiration to independence, freedom, dignity and national sovereignty, like other nations. This study aimed at determines the role played by the citizen journalist in the Arab spring, and to identify the impact of the citizen journalist in the Syrian revolution. In order to achieve the objective of the study, a questionnaire was designed as a main tool for collecting data. It included (42) items divided into four variables (credibility, professional, quality and contributions). The sample comprised of (300) individual's that selected randomly from all the media elite who work in Jordan. After the distribution of the questionnaire and data collection, the SPSS software was used to answer the study questions through the use of descriptive analysis. The study found that the degree of acceptance of the media elite to the work of citizen journalism ranked first compared to other sources of news (such as television and newspapers), the role provided by the citizen journalist did not rise to the level of the other media, the respondents' estimates of the ability of the "citizen journalism" to fill the vacuum resulting from confusion and official misrepresentation through their technological tools such as the telephone came out clearly against this idea; and the role of the journalist citizen is disproportionate to the professional and ethical characteristics known within the work environment of the media, as there is a significant weakness in the ability of the journalist to apply the standards used in the real media. In the light of the results the study recommended that the findings of the present study showed that most of the news and information provide by citizen journalist not credible and not professional. Thus, it's important to create a control group in order to monitor all kind of news provides by a citizen journalist, and this study relied on individuals primarily composed of the media elite who worked in Jordan. It would be valuable to investigate the role of the citizen journalist in other populations, including media elite from other countries. Conducting these studies highlights the real and actual role of citizen journalism in the Arab revolutions, and there could be differences in the evaluation of the citizen journalist role
A Pragmatic Analysis of Refusal Strategies in Management Communication
No full textThis study examines the refusal strategies employed in superior-subordinate communication during departmental meetings. It aims to reveal these strategies\u27 function, specifically exploring why individuals use particular refusal techniques in their interactions. Data is collected through observation of participants\u27 turn-taking patterns in departmental meetings. The findings indicate that both heads of departments and department members utilized direct and indirect refusal strategies. Participants employed two direct refusal strategies, as defined in the Beebe et al. (1990, pp. 55-73) framework, and five indirect refusal strategies: explanation, statement of alternatives, attempts to dissuade, acceptance functioning as a refusal, and silence. The most frequently used direct strategy is the non-performative statement, while the most common indirect strategies are explanation and statements of alternatives. Social power dynamics are evident in the heads of departments\u27 speech, as they seek to control dissenting opinions. Department members, however, exercise social power by forming coalitions to support specific viewpoints discussed in the meetings. Future research could investigate the politeness strategies used by superiors and subordinates in these meetings and their impact on influencing heads of departments
Advancements in synthetic CT generation from MRI: a review of techniques, and trends in radiation therapy planning
No full textBackground: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Computed tomography (CT) are crucial imaging techniques in both diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy. MRI provides excellent soft tissue contrast but lacks the direct electron density data needed to calculate dosage. CT, on the other hand, remains the gold standard due to its accurate electron density information in radiation therapy planning (RTP) but it exposes patients to ionizing radiation. Synthetic CT (sCT) generation from MRI has been a focused study field in the last few years due to cost effectiveness as well as for the objective of minimizing side-effects of using more than one imaging modality for treatment simulation. It offers significant time and cost efficiencies, bypassing the complexities of co-registration, and potentially improving treatment accuracy by minimizing registration-related errors. In an effort to navigate the quickly developing field of precision medicine, this paper investigates recent advancements in sCT generation techniques, particularly those using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL). The review highlights the potential of these techniques to improve the efficiency and accuracy of sCT generation for use in RTP by improving patient care and reducing healthcare costs. The intricate web of sCT generation techniques is scrutinized critically, with clinical implications and technical underpinnings for enhanced patient care revealed.Purpose: this review aims to provide an overview of the most recent advancements in sCT generation from MRI with a particular focus of its use within RTP, emphasizing on techniques, performance evaluation, clinical applications, future research trends and open challenges in the field.Methods: a thorough search strategy was employed to conduct a systematic literature review across major scientific databases. Focusing on the past decade's advancements, this review critically examines emerging approaches introduced from 2013 to 2023 for generating sCT from MRI, providing a comprehensive analysis of their methodologies, ultimately fostering further advancement in the field. This study highlighted significant contributions, identified challenges, and provided an overview of successes within RTP. Classifying the identified approaches, contrasting their advantages and disadvantages, and identifying broad trends were all part of the review's synthesis process.Results: the review identifies various sCT generation approaches, consisting atlas-based, segmentation-based, multi-modal fusion, hybrid approaches, ML and DL-based techniques. These approaches are evaluated for image quality, dosimetric accuracy, and clinical acceptability. They are used for MRI-only radiation treatment, adaptive radiotherapy, and MR/PET attenuation correction. The review also highlights the diversity of methodologies for sCT generation, each with its own advantages and limitations. Emerging trends incorporate the integration of advanced imaging modalities including various MRI sequences like Dixon sequences, T1-weighted (T1W), T2-weighted (T2W), as well as hybrid approaches for enhanced accuracy.Conclusions: the study examines MRI-based sCT generation, to minimize negative effects of acquiring both modalities. The study reviews 2013-2023 studies on MRI to sCT generation methods, aiming to revolutionize RTP by reducing use of ionizing radiation and improving patient outcomes. The review provides insights for researchers and practitioners, emphasizing the need for standardized validation procedures and collaborative efforts to refine methods and address limitations. It anticipates the continued evolution of techniques to improve the precision of sCT in RTP
Remote Sensing-Based Agricultural Water Accounting for the North Jordan Valley
No full textRemote sensing can provide important and updated information for agricultural water accounting (AWA). In this study, data from the open-access portal (WaPOR) of the Food and Agricultural Organization was used in AWA to assess levels of agricultural water consumption and to provide possible solutions for water deficiency in the North Jordan Valley (NJV). Consolidated procedures have been applied to complement and validate the WaPOR products. These included the use of climatic and ground data, the multispectral remote-sensing data of Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 to derive land use/cover maps, GIS layers, and calibrated evapotranspiration (ET) estimates using the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL). The data of water inflows and outflows were analyzed using the water accounting plus (WA+) system. Results showed that the WaPOR data of actual ET and interception (AETI) were highly correlated with SEBAL-ET, with WaPOR data overestimating ET for irrigated areas. Precipitation data from WaPOR, on the other hand, were underestimating inflow from rainfall, although significant correlations were observed between these data and rainfall records. As a result, the quality of WaPOR data affected the outputs from agricultural water accounting. The main impact on water accounting outputs was the underestimation of percolated water that could be utilized as a possible solution to water deficiency in the NJV. In addition, the water accounting performance indicators were relatively affected, although they reflected the nature of the study area where water deficiency predominated as a result of inter-basin transfer. The study compared outputs from water accounting in terms of the possible solutions to water deficiency in the NJV and concluded that considerable amounts of recoverable water could be developed when compared with the option of developing surface water from the side wadis. Also, it emphasized the important role of remote-sensing sources for providing information for AWA needed for improved water management and governance
One-step formation of three-dimensional macroporous bacterial sponges as a novel approach for the preparation of bioreactors for bioremediation and green treatment of water
No full textImmobilisation of bacteria on or into a polymer support is a common method for the utilisation of bacteria as biocatalysts for many biotechnological, medical and environmental applications. The main challenge in this approach is the time taken for the formation of stable biofilms, and the typically low percentage of bacterial cells present on or in the polymer matrix. In this work we propose a novel method for producing a porous bacteria based structure with the properties of a sponge (bacterial sponge) that we then use as a bioreactor for water treatment. Cryogelation has been used as a tool to create macroporous (i.e. with pores in the range 10–100 μm), highly permeable systems with low diffusion constraints and high bacterial content (more than 98% to total material content). A novel crosslinking system was used to form stable bacterial sponges with a high percentage of live bacteria organized in a 3D porous structure. The bacterial sponge was produced in a one step process and can be made from one or several bacterial strains (in this case, two bacterial strains Pseudomonas mendocina and Rhodoccocus koreensis (and a mixture of both) were used). Reduction of the total polymer content to 2% makes the system more sustainable and environmentally friendly under disposal as it can be simply composted. The bacterial sponges have good mechanical stability and cell viability, which enables repeated use of the materials for phenol degradation for up to five weeks. The material can be stored and transported in cryogenic conditions (−80 °C) for prolonged periods of time, retaining its bioremediation activity following 4–6 weeks of frozen storage. The proposed method of producing bioreactors with a high number of live immobilised bacteria, low polymer content and controlled 3D structure is a promising tool for developing novel materials based on active bacterial cells for various environmental, biotechnological, biological and medical applications
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