bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PERLINDUNGAN HAK KEKAYAAN INTELEKTUAL TERHADAP INDUSTRI KREATIF DALAM MENINGKATKAN INDUSTRI PARIWISATA BERBASIS BUDAYA LOKAL
Authors: Ganefi Ganefi
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe creative industry as one of the pillars of the future economy has a very strategic role in overcoming the problems faced by the community along with the government, especially in the field of employment, business fields, and as a source of state revenue (GDP). Therefore, creative industry entrepreneurs must be protected by their intellectual rights so that all copyrighted works are legally protected by their existence and not arbitrarily anyone can steal, trade, multiply without the permission of the owner. However apparently only 17% of the 16.7 million creative industry players registered the results of their creativity. This shows that the protection of Intellectual Property Rights towards the creative industry is still very weak due to several factors, namely; Lack of public awareness / creative industry players to register their creativity businesses; Lack / lack of understanding of the community / industry players regarding the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR); The presumption of some people / creative industry players for the management of registration of Intellectual Property Rights requires quite a large fee; The registration process takes a long time and is complicated. AbstrakIndustri kreatif sebagai salah satu pilar ekonomi masa depan memiliki peran yang sangat strategis dalam mengatasi masalah-masalah yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat bersama pemerintah, terutama di bidang ketenagakerjaan, bidang usaha, dan sebagai sumber penerimaan negara (PDB) . Oleh karena itu, pengusaha industri kreatif harus dilindungi oleh hak intelektual mereka sehingga semua karya cipta dilindungi secara hukum oleh keberadaan mereka dan tidak sewenang-wenang siapa pun dapat mencuri, berdagang, berkembang biak tanpa izin dari pemiliknya. Namun ternyata hanya 17% dari 16,7 juta pelaku industri kreatif yang mendaftarkan hasil kreativitas mereka. Ini menunjukkan bahwa perlindungan Hak Kekayaan Intelektual terhadap industri kreatif masih sangat lemah karena beberapa faktor, yaitu; Kurangnya kesadaran publik / pelaku industri kreatif untuk mendaftarkan bisnis kreativitas mereka; Kurangnya / kurangnya pemahaman tentang komunitas / pemain industri mengenai perlindungan Hak Kekayaan Intelektual (HKI); Anggapan sebagian orang / pelaku industri kreatif untuk pengelolaan pendaftaran Hak Kekayaan Intelektual membutuhkan biaya yang cukup besar; Proses pendaftaran memakan waktu lama dan rumit.
PROBLEMATIKA PEMBENTUKAN RELAWAN DEMOKRASI DALAM PENYELENGGARAAN PEMILU SERENTAK 2019
Authors: Kusumaputra Ardhiwinda , Retnowati Endang , Winarno Ronny
Published: December 2020

AbstrakPembentukan Relawan demokrasi adalah bagian dari strategi Komisi Pemilihan Umum untuk meningkatkan partisipasi masyakat dalam menyalurkan hak pilihnya. Hal ini mengingat bahwa pemilihan umum tahun 2019, adalah pemilihan serentak yang pertama kali dilangsungkan dalam sejarah pemilihan umum di Indonesia. Namun, pada tatanan regulasi terdapat disharmonisasi, khususnya pada aspek pembentukan dan kedudukan relawan demokrasi. Perlu dilakukan suatu kajian/penelitian yang komprehensif untuk menelusuri bentuk disharmonisasi tersebut dan implikasi yang ditimbulkan. Pada dasarnya metode yang digunakan didasarkan pada metode penelitian yuridis normatif. Menariknya, Surat Komisi Pemilihan Umum Nomor: 32/PP.08-SD/06/KPU/I/2019, tertanggal 9 Januari 2019, tidak dapat menjadi dasar dalam memberikan wewenang kepada KPU/KIP Kabupaten/Kota untuk membentuk relawan demokrasi. Hal tersebut menunjukkan adanya disharmonisasi, dan dianggap bertentangan dengan Undang-Undang Nomor 7 tahun 2017 tentang Pemilihan Umum. Selain itu, implikasi yang ditimbulkan atas disharmonisasi mengarah pada ketidakjelasan kedudukan relawan demokrasi, tugas relawan demokrasi hingga pada status relawan demokrasi. Oleh karena itu menjadi penting untuk dilakukan kajian secara komprehensif guna menjadi dasar dalam perbaikan tata hukum ke depan.
PERLUASAN WEWENANG MAHKAMAH KONSTITUSI SEBAGAI PENGAWAL KONSTITUSI
Authors: Yenny Oktavani
Published: December 2020

Becoming one of the materials inside the fifth amendment of Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia 1945 (The 1945 Constitution of Republic Indonesia), Constitutional Court authority now has become one of the essential concerns given that the function as "the guardian of the constitution" it became crucial in the protection of the constitutional rights of citizens. Along with times, violations of citizens constitutional rights are no longer based solely on legal norms, but violations committed against the application of norms by state institutions or public bureaucratic institutions (Constitutional Complaint). In addition, the need for institutions that deal with constitutional questions over the existence of a legal norms whose constitutionality is doubtful (Constitutional Question) as well as the authority of the Judicial Review carried out by institutions holding judicial power, called the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, led to a dualism of Judicial Review which turned out to be vulnerable to presenting legal issues. The methodology used in this study is normative juridical with a qualitative approach and using literatures. From the results of this study it was concluded that the need for additional of Constitutional Complaint and Constitutional Question authority as the authority of the Constitutional Court as well as a one-stop Judicial Review system in the Constitutional Court became very important carrying out its function as a guardian of the Constitution.Menjadi salah satu materi dalam Amandemen kelima Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945, kewenangan Mahkamah Konstitusi kini menjadi salah satu perhatian penting karena mengingat fungsinya sebagai the guardian of the constitusion menjadi krusial dalam perlindungan terhadap hak-hak konstitusional warga negara. Seiring dengan perkembangan zaman, pelanggaran hak-hak konstitusional warga negara tidak lagi hanya berdasarkan pada norma hukum, namun pelanggaran yang dilakukan atas penerapan suatu norma oleh lembaga negara atau lembaga birokrasi publik (Constitutional Complaint). Selain itu, perlunya lembaga yang menangani pertanyaan-pertanyaan konstitusional atas keberadaan suatu norma hukum yang diragukan konstitusionalitasnya (Constitutional Question) serta kewenangan Judicial Review yang dijalankan oleh lembaga pemegang kekuasaan kehakiman, yaitu Mahkamah Agung dan Mahkamah Konstitusi menimbulkan dualisme Judicial Review yang ternyata rentan menghadirkan persoalan hukum. Metodologi yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini berupa yuridis normatif dengan pendekatan kualitatif dan menggunakan bahan kepustakaan. Dari hasil penelitian ini disimpulkan bahwa perlunya penambahan kewenangan Constitutional Complaint dan Constitutional Question sebagai kewenangan Mahkamah Konstitusi serta sistem satu atap Judicial Review di Mahkamah Konstitusi menjadi sangat penting sebagai bentuk pelaksanaan fungsinya sebagai pengawal Konstitusi.
Extraction and characterization of sea anemones compound and its Anti bacterial and hemolytic studies
Authors: Anil Kumar A  , Raja Sheker K  , Naveen B  , Abhilash G  , Akila CR
Published: December 2020

Seas assets that give us a variety of characteristic items to control bacterial, contagious and viral ailment and mostly utilized for malignancy chemotherapy practically from spineless creatures, for example, bryozoans, wipes, delicate corals, coelenterates, ocean fans, ocean bunnies, molluscs and echinoderms. In the previous 30 - 40 years, marine plants and creatures have been the focal point of overall endeavours to characterize the regular results of the marine condition. Numerous marine characteristic items have been effectively exceptional to the last phases of clinical preliminaries, including dolastatin-10, a group of peptides disengaged from Indian ocean rabbit, Dollabella auricularia. Ecteinascidin-743 from mangrove tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata, Didemnins was isolated from Caribbean tunicate Trididemnum solidum and Conopeptides from cone snails (Conus sp.), and a developing number of up-and-comers have been chosen as promising leads for expanded pre-clinical appraisals. Sea anemones possess numerous tentacles containing stinging cells or cnidocytes. The stinging cells are equipped with small organelles known as nematocysts. The two species of sea anemones namely, Heteractis magnificaandStichodactyla haddoni, were collected from Mandapam coastal waters of Ramanathapuram district, Tamilnadu, India. The Nematocyst was collected and centrifuged, and the supernatant was lyophilized and stored for further analysis. The amount of protein from Heteractis Magnifica and Stichodactyla haddoni was estimated. The crude extract has shown haemolytic activity on chicken blood and goat blood. In the antibacterial activity of the sea anemone against six bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhii, Salmonella paratyphii, Klebsiella pneumonia, Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibacterial activity of H. Magnifica and S.haddoni was measured as the radius of the zone of inhibition.
Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among pregnant women attending for antenatal care- A Hospital based study
Authors: Fathima Habeeba T E  , Revikumar K G  , Jaideep Mahendra  , Mumtaz P  , Jithesh T K  , Mohammed Muneersha T K
Published: December 2020

GDM is a condition in which high blood glucose level is exhibited in a women during pregnancy without a previous diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. Indian women are considered to be more prone for developing GDM. The increasing prevalence of GDM may be due to obesity, family history of Diabetes Mellitus, sedentary lifestyle, genetic predisposition and dietary habits. The screening and management of GDM in the general population remain controversial with conflicting guidelines and treatment protocols. Adequate blood sugar control in GDM women might reduce various maternal, foetal and neonatal complications. Prospective Observational study was done to find out the prevalence and risk factors of GDM. The study was conducted in the OBG department of the study center and pregnant women with 24-28 weeks of gestation attending for antenatal care were included. The results obtained from the study says the prevalence of GDM was found to be 16% in the study center, which is at par with South Indian prevalence. This study concludes that GDM is largely associated with a family history of diabetes mellitus, obesity and higher maternal age in that particular study setup.
EL TRABAJO EN LA OBRA DE HESÍODO COMO ARTICULADOR DE VÍNCULOS
Authors: Colombani María Cecilia
Published: December 2020

Este artículo analizará la dimensión del trabajo en los textos de Hesíodo y lo entenderá como un articulador de relaciones sociales. En primer lugar, pensemos la dimensión del trabajo como aquello que genera la instalación del hombre en el mundo, esto es, el modo en que se apropia de su entorno y lo convierte en su hábitat, en su morada, en su albergue existencial. Es un hecho cultural y abre esa doble instalación ética y poiética. Hay un érgon, una obra, fruto del trabajo que despliega la capacidad creadora del hombre, su condición de artífice de aquello que le pertenece y un êthos, un estilo de vida, un modo de ser, que vehiculiza. El trabajo resulta, así, un modo de instalación que da cuenta de un modo de vivir. Por lo tanto, el trabajo se articula en una red de relaciones que determinan distintos ejes: un eje horizontal, que envuelve a todos los hombres, un eje ascendente, que define la relación con los dioses, un eje familiar, que en el caso de la obra se centra en la relación peculiar entre Hesíodo y su hermano, y finalmente un eje social, que toca a la comunidad en su conjunto.
ABIDOS E OSÍRIS ALÉM DOS FARAÓS: A MANUTENÇÃO DE UMA CONCEPÇÃO DE MUNDO EGÍPCIA
Authors: Santos de Moraes Alexandre , Moreira da Costa Beatriz
Published: December 2020

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar as evidências da manutenção de Abidos como centro do culto do deus Osíris no período greco-romano. Para tal, mobilizamos documentações escritas que abordam a perspectiva greco-romana acerca de Abidos e seus significados religiosos e funerários. Para enriquecer a discussão, elencamos documentos materiais e arqueológicos provenientes de Abidos, tais como estelas e sarcófagos. Defendemos que a continuidade do culto a Osíris na localidade demonstra a busca dos egípcios pela preservação de suas práticas religiosas diante de uma mudança de cenário político-cultural.
Volume 9, Issue 2, Formation
Authors:   The High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq., A. L. Mossa Hayder , Alawsi Taif ,   Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Published: December 2020

The editors of the Iraqi Journal of Embryos and Infertility Researches (IJEIR) are thankful to the huge efforts made by the reviewers in peer- reviewing the submitted manuscripts. Thanks to their efforts the second issue of the 9th volume is now available online with open access to the articles content. We are looking forward in inclusion in relevant indexing in the near future. We would like to acknowledge the reviewers for their contribution, and we wish them the greatest success. We ensured the anonymity of both reviewers and authors and followed a double-blind peer-review procedure. Our published articles are under the creative common attribution license. We strictly followed the COPE ethical code in the published studies. Our articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keselamatan Penerbangan di Masa Pandemi COVID-19
Authors: Mulyono Agus Taufik
Published: December 2020

Pandemi Covid19 telah membawa dampak yang cukup berat terhadap sektor penerbangan baik di level nasional maupun di level internasional. Diperkirakan penurunan penumpang mencapai hampir 80% pada awal Pandemi, dan belum akan pulih dalam waktu dekat. Penurunan ini menyebabkan industri penerbangan sangat terpukul, berakibat pada kosongnya bandara, sepinya tempat-tempat wisata, hingga menurunnya pertumbuhan ekonomi. Peran penerbangan dalam perekonomian sangat vital sebagaimana layaknya sektor transportasi yang lain. Di sisi lain, teknologi pesawat sebenarnya sudah mampu mengurangi dampak penularan di dalam pesawat itu sendiri. Salah satu tantangan yang penting adalah bagaimana memastikan keselamatan penerbangan sehingga mampu mengurangi dampak penularan sekaligus untuk mengembalikan kepercayaan masyarakat untuk menggunakan penerbangan. Sesi Public Lecture ini akan membahas tentang Tantangan Keselamatan Penerbangan pada Masa Pandemi, bagaimana regulasinya, aspek teknisnya, dan bagaimana dampaknya perbaikan kondisi Pandemi.
Long-term prediction of runoff characteristics using the mathematical modeling of hydrological processes
Authors:   Transneft UW Service, JSC, Rykova Tatyana L. , Kazakov Dmitry Y. ,   Transneft UW Service, JSC
Published: December 2020

In recent decades, climatic anomalies have been recorded that give rise to long-term changes in the hydrometeorological regime and the system of interaction of the water mass with the underlying surface, in particular, on channel and floodplain sections of rivers that are the site of underwater crossings of main pipelines. Currently, these changes are not taken into account during the course of design & engineering, construction and operation of underwater crossings, although the period of safe operation of the pipeline depends on the conditions that the engineering structure is exposed to. In this article, the influence of long-term changes in the hydro-meteorological situation on the runoff characteristics of the river Ob located near the alignment of the underwater crossing of the Aleksandrovskoe – Anzhero-Sudzhensk main pipeline has been considered. It has been determined that the method developed by the Russian State Hydrometeorological University is optimal for runoff characteristics prediction. Using this mathematical model, changes in the hydrometeorological regime have been assessed in the river Ob – Aleksandrovskoe section, a violation of its stationarity in 1979–1980 was established. The main flow-forming factors – the amount of precipitation and the temperature regime – have been determined. Approbation of the runoff formation model showed that the maximum convergence of the predicted and actual values is observed when using predictions with an additional parameter. To predict the runoff characteristics for 2011–2040, climatic scenarios were used as initial data – representative concentration trajectories according to which the temperature and precipitation amount is expected to increase during the specified period of time. The results obtained indicate a tendency for an increase in water content and a redistribution of runoff vs. time, which, in turn, will catalyze the intensity of the processes of channel and floodplain deformation. It is concluded that it is necessary to consolidate the use of the prediction of runoff characteristics in regulatory documents in order to increase the efficiency of measures to ensure the safe operation of underwater crossings of trunk pipelines, as well as the accuracy of calculations in the design and construction of these facilities.
Autonomous system of thermal power equipment of the next generation
Authors:   Transneft, Revel-Muroz Pavel A. , Roslyakov Pavel V. ,   National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute” (NRU “MPEI”), Proskurin Yury V. ,   Transneft, Ionkin Igor L. ,   National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute” (NRU “MPEI”), Kopysov Andrey F. ,   Transneft, Grisha Bronislav G. ,   Pipeline Transport Institute, LLC
Published: December 2020

The article contains the results of the systematic scientific-research and research-development work, which ensured the implementation of innovating power efficient and ecological technologies, aimed at the increase of reliability and economic efficiency of heat supply to industrial facilities and populated areas in the regions, experiencing deficiency of traditional power-generating fuel. The article presents the solution of relevant scientific problems, results of the researches, on the basis of which the new structures of combined low emission burner device with staged burning of gaseous and liquid fuels and fire-tube boilers with increased efficiency (not less than 94 %) are suggested. The results of experimental researches on factory test benches and operation facilities in operating load range from 40 to 100 % of nominal load, confirmed the boiler efficiency of more than 94 % – this is by 4–6 % higher than existing indicators in case of burning raw oil and fuel oil and by 2–4 % higher than in case of burning natural gas. The protection of boiler from low temperature sulphur corrosion is provided by the compact remote economizer. The developed equipment reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere by 25–30 % in comparison with the regulatory levels and by 10–15 % in comparison with the best foreign analogues. Boilers and burners are supplied to the facilities in finished form as a part of compact modular boilers, which significantly reduces commission deadlines.
Blood Biomarkers associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder may Provide Early Diagnosis
Authors: Rabbani Naila , Thornalley Paul John
Published: December 2020

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a collection of neuropsychiatric disorders. ASD affects 1 in 87 in Qatar and is expected to increase. The high variability and heterogeneity of the symptoms makes diagnosis of ASD difficult and uncertain, particularly at the early stages of development. If detected early, clinical support can be given to promote optimal development and well-being of children with ASD and even achieve complete remission. The current method of diagnosing ASD is by observations and interviews made by experts in child development to assess child behavior, communication and cognition: the ADOS test. There is often delay in referral for expert diagnosis; delay is typically >18 months in Qatar and >4 years in EU and USA. The diagnostic accuracy is 60 – 70%. Mutations in proteins transporters of amino acids have been linked to some cases of ASD. We hypothesized that levels of amino acids in blood, including amino acids damaged by modification by sugars (glycation), oxidation and nitration may provide novel biomarker for diagnosis of ASD at very young age.
Sanguinarine Mediated Anti-Tumor activity Via Targeting JAK/STAT3 Pathway in Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Ahmed Elham , Khan Abdul , Prabhu Kirti S. , Siveen Kodappully , Nawaz Zafar , Zayed Hatem , Uddin Shahab
Published: December 2020

Sanguinarine (SNG), a natural compound with an array of pharmacological activities, has promising therapeutic potential against a number of pathological conditions, including malignancies. This research aimed to investigate the antiproliferative and anti-cancer potential of SNG against two well characterized papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) cell lines, BCPAP and TPC-1 .In both cell lines , SNG was able to inhibit cell proliferation in time and dose dependent manner. Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of apoptosis and autophagy markers , caspase-3,cleaved caspase-3 , P62, and LC3. SNG modulate its anticancer effect through ROS production, because NAC was able to reverse SNG effect. Interestingly, co-treatment of PTC with SNG and cisplatin amplified anticancer activity. Finally, SNG treatment of PTC spheroid suppressed its growth with downregulation of stemness markers including ALDH2 and SOX2 markers. In conclusion, SNG enhanced the anti cancer activity against PTC cells and the effect is amplified when cisplatin is added.
Assessing the Current Standing of Hamad Medical Corporation Blood Donor Center in Qatar and Developing a Forecast Model for the Blood Stock Needs during the 2022 World Cup Event
Authors: Qush Abeer , Abdel-Rahman Manar E. , Al-Dewik Nader , Kamareddine Layla
Published: December 2020

Background: In two years from now, Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup competition, which requires high level of preparedness and readiness in different sectors including healthcare. Among different subsections of health, the blood bank and the Blood Donor Center will have a major role in this event especially in case of unforeseen incidences. Accordingly, a proper assessment of the current blood resource availability and a prediction of future blood needs helps in overcoming any obstacle that could be faced during the event. Objectives: (1) Highlight the process of the blood supply chain, with a detailed delineation of the needed amount of blood components for both routine and emergency situations services, and outline the proper measures taken to deliver the safest and most appropriate blood units and reduce wastage of blood component. (2) Assess the current standing of the Blood Donor Center and corresponding units in Qatar. (3) Develop a forecast model that predicts the number of blood donors in the next four years as a method to evaluate the readiness of the Blood Donor facility to host the world cup event. (4) Explore the potential challenges that could be faced when meeting the benchmark of donation and established an action plan to overcome these anticipated challenges. Materials and methods: Both qualitative (interviews) and a quantitative (data collection and analysis) approaches have been implemented in our study. We also established a time series forecast model using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA). Results: The number of donors in the next four years, which is predicted to increase by 26%, will not be able to be accommodated in the current Blood Donor Center facility. Therefore, the established blood stock benchmark will not be met despite that the Center and its corresponding units are fully equipped with high standard equipment and follow international guidelines in the process of blood withdrawal. Conclusion: Infrastructure improvements and logistics support for Hamad Medical Corporation Blood Donor Center are required to support the continuously increasing numbers of blood donors for daily demand and during mega events.
Clinical Utility and Cost Effectiveness of Complement 3 and Complement 4 in different Clinical Subspecialties in Hamad Medical Corporation
Authors: Naji Foziyeh Esmaiel , Ehlayel Mohammed , Al-Dewik Nader , Malki Ahmed
Published: December 2020

Background: Complement system is one of ancient innate immune systems in our body fighting against pathogens and foreign bodies. Either one of its three pathways, classical, alternative or lectin activates it. Because of its role and importance in combating against different pathological conditions, it works through defined proteins including regulators and inhibitors. However, over or under stimulation of complement system can lead to various diseases. A number of analytical assays are used to measure complement proteins and its activation states considering complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4) as the most common test used. Objectives: Our aims are to study the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of C3 and C4 among different clinical subspecialties in Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha-Qatar. Design and methods: A retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical records to generate patient’s list from clinical immunology laboratory at HMC. Data on 326 patients were collected from 1st January till 31st March, 2017 and used as pilot study after omitting duplications. The data was studied for its demographical, disease categories, C3 and C4 test results. C3 and C4 test cost were calculated inside HMC and compared to other healthcare providers in country and abroad. Results: A total of 326 patients, 148 males and 178 females (M/F ratio:0.8:1), of age (mean age ±SD) of 36 ± 17.6 years. 289(86%) were >15 years and 47(14%) were 15 or less. Kidney diseases (34%), autoimmune diseases (25%), and allergic diseases (18%) were the top 3 diseases, and constituted 77% of all diseases. 45/336 (13.4%) showed low C3, C4, or both. Mean levels of C3 (±SD) was 120.8 ±36.3 mg/dl, and C4 was27.85±11.9 mg/dl. High C3 and C4 levels were observed in 53 (15.7%) of patients. The cost of performing one test either C3 or C4 in HMC is 22 QR ($6), while other healthcare providers inside the country costed 150-300 QR ($41.2-$82.4). Conclusion: Autoimmune diseases, renal diseases and joist diseases were the most common diseases with low C3 and C4 levels. Although the cost of a single test of C3 or C4 is low, the total annual cost is huge. The treating physician is recommended to exercise judicious clinical wisdom when ordering C3 or C4 tests as diagnostic tools
Prevalence of Consanguinity among ASD Individuals: Systematic Review & Meta-analysis
Authors: Elhag Saba , Abdalhakam Ibrahem , Abel-Rahman Manar
Published: December 2020

Aim: We aim to estimate the global prevalence of consanguinity among the ASD families and compare that among different populations. Methods: Meta-analysis of observational studies reporting prevalence of consanguinity among ASD families was searched systematically in important databases including EMBASE, PubMed and Academic Search Complete. Individual studies were screened by two reviewers independently, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using a risk of bias tool (Hoy’s tool). Random Effect model was used to calculate pooled weighted estimates due to considerable heterogeneity. Subgroups analysis was also calculated. Results: 10 publications were identified based on our inclusion criteria from 8 different countries, 4 of them were from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the rest were from: Lebanon (2 studies), Egypt, Jordan, Iran, and Israel). Studies varied in ASD cases numbers as it ranged between 49 -500, and the total ASD individuals in all studies were 1581. All studies address consanguinity among the ASD families despite the variation in the methods. The pooled estimate of consanguinity among ASD families was 24% Subgroup analysis by the study country led to a higher pooled estimate of consanguinity of 38% in the GCC countries compared to other than GCC countries with a pooled estimate of 16%. In addition, the overall odd ratio calculated from the case-control studies included in our meta-analysis was 1.5. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis that studied the prevalence of consanguinity among ASD families worldwide. Children born to consanguineous parents have been reported to have lower social behavior and cognitive ability, which are the main problems with ASD children. Our study qualitatively reviewed the prevalence of consanguinity among ASD families throughout the world and 10 eligible studies from eight countries were identified. We quantitatively synthesized the results and the key findings of this study showed a 24% overall pooled estimate of consanguinity among ASD families. GCC countries showed a high estimated pooled prevalence of consanguinity among ASD families as 38% compared to countries other than GCC 16%, which was higher than our overall pooled prevalence. This high estimate among GCC countries can be related to the high rates of consanguineous marriage in the GCC countries compared to the worldwide rates (20%). In Qatar, the rate of consanguineous marriage reported as 54%. This high rates among GCC countries may be due to factors like rooted cultural beliefs, social life and customs in addition to, economic benefits of keeping wealth within the families. Conclusion: The globally estimated pooled consanguinity prevalence among ASD patients was 24%, GCC countries showed a higher pooled prevalence (38%)
Antibiotics Prescription Patterns in Primary Health Care in Qatar – A Population based study from 2017 to 2018
Authors: Khudadad Hanan , Thalib Lukman
Published: December 2020

Background: Antibiotics are antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They played a pivotal role in achieving major advances in medicine and surgery (1). Yet, due to increased and inappropriate use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance (AR) has become a growing public health problem. Information on antibiotic prescription patterns are vital in developing a constructive approach to deal with growing antibiotic resistance (2). The study aims to describe the population based antibiotic prescriptions among patients attending primary care centers in Qatar. Methodology: A population based observational study of all medications prescribed in the all Primary Health Care Centers during the period of 2017-2018 in Qatar. Records with all medication prescriptions were extracted and linked to medical diagnosis. Antibiotics prescriptions records were compared to non- antibiotics records using logistic regression model in identifying the potential predictors for antibiotic prescriptions. Results: A total of 11,069,439 medication prescriptions given over a period of two-years, we found about 12.1% (n= 726,667) antibiotics prescriptions were antibiotics, and 65% of antibiotics are prescribed and received by the patients at the first visits. Paracetamol (22.3%) was the first highest medication prescribed followed by antibiotics (12.1 %) and vitamin D2 (10.2 %). More than half of all antibiotics prescribed during the period of January 2017 to December 2018 were Penicillin (56.9%). We found that half of the antibiotics (49.3 %) have been prescribed for the respiratory system comparing to the other body system. We found that males were 29% more likely be given an antibiotic compared to females (OR=1.29, 95% CI= 1.24- 1.33). Implications: The study provides a baseline data to enable PHCC management to design effective intervention program to address the problem of antibiotics resistance. Furthermore, it will help the policymakers to comprehend the size of the issue and develop a system to manage the antibiotics therapy. Conclusion: Antibiotics was the second highest medication prescribed in the Primary Health Care Centers in Qatar after paracetamol and most of the patients received it at the first visit. Most of the prescriptions in Primary Health Care Centers in Qatar were for the respiratory system, and Penicillin was the highest class prescribed. Male visitors were prescribed antibiotics more than female visitors.
The Influence of Shear Stress on Nanomaterials uptake by MDA-231 Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Shurbaji Samar , Elzatahry Ahmed , Yalcin Huseyin
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Recently, nanotechnology products have been used for a variety of applications including the medical field. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted a growing interest due to its unique properties and ultrathin structure. One common example is MXene, which can be used for cancer photothermal therapy. Methodology: In this study, two 2D nanomaterials, MXene and MXene/Au nanocomposite were fabricated as photothermal agents. To mimic physiological tumor microenvironment, nanocomposites were tested on MDA-231 breast cancer cells under fluid shear stress (~ 0.1 Dyn/cm2 ) using a perfusion setup. The uptake of these nanomaterials was tested under fluid flow compared to static culture, to assess influence of shear stress in material uptake. The uptake was assessed using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, viability assessment was performed after exposing the treated cells to laser at different power densities and durations by live/dead assay. Results: This study revealed that there is insignificant difference in cellular uptake under fluid flow compared to static culture. Although when exposed to PTT laser irradiation, MXene alone could increase the temperature up to 100 ° C, its cellular uptake is very low (~ 3 ug/ml) which could only increase the temperature up to 44 ° C which was not sufficient to induce protein denaturation and cellular damage. Conclusion: MXene can be a good candidate for PTT for cancer treatment, but its cellular internalization should be enhanced. This can be achieved by coating the MXene surface and labeling the material with certain ligands that is cancer cell specific.
Strengthening the Quality of Clinical Pharmacokinetic studies: Development and Validation of a Critical Appraisal Tool for Clinical Pharmacokinetic Research
Authors: Soliman Alaa , Pawluk Shane , Wilby Kyle , Rachid Ousama
Published: December 2020

Background: Robust critical appraisal tools for pharmacokinetic studies are lacking. The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable critical appraisal tool for clinical pharmacokinetic studies. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted through Embase and Pubmed to identify quality markers of clinical pharmacokinetic studies. Quality-related questions were formulated to help in appraising pharmacokinetic studies. Experts were approached to participate in a modified Delphi process to achieve their consensus regarding the formulated questions based on percentage of agreement between panelists, median and interquartile range. Content and face validity of the tool were assessed twice and by a psychometric expert. Four raters were selected to apply the tool on 30 clinical pharmacokinetic articles to calculate Kappa values to determine interrater and intra-rater reliability. Results: Quality markers of clinical pharmacokinetic studies were identified from fifteen articles. Sixty-four quality-related questions were formulated, but 42 were assessed by twenty-five panelists, who consented to participate in the modified Delphi process rounds. In round 1, 12 out of 42 items reached ≥80 % of agreement, median ≥ 4, and interquartile range ≤ 1. In round 2, 6 out of 28 items met ≥80% of agreement, a median ≥ 4, and interquartile range < 1. In round 3, 3 out of 3 items achieved ≥80% of agreement, a median ≥ 4, and interquartile range < 1. This tool proved to be valid and reliable in appraising retrospective and prospective clinical pharmacokinetic, bioequivalence, and population pharmacokinetic studies. Conclusion: A valid and reliable clinical pharmacokinetic critical appraisal tool containing twenty-one questions was developed
The Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals and Patients on the Value of Collaborative Care Model for Diabetes in Primary Healthcare settings in Qatar
Authors: Abdulrhim Sara Hamdi , Ibrahim Mohamed Izham Mohamed , Sankaralingam Sowndramalingam , Diab Mohammed Issam , Hussain Mohamed Abdelazim Mohamed , Al Raey Hend , Ismai Mohammed Thahir , Awaisu Ahmed
Published: December 2020

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the top health priorities in Qatar due to its high prevalence of 15.5%, which is projected to increase to 29.7% by 2035. DM management is still challenging despite healthcare advancement, warranting the need for a comprehensive Collaborative Care Model (CCM). Therefore, we aim to evaluate the value of CCM in DM care at a primary healthcare (PHC) setting in Qatar. Methodology: This study was a qualitative exploration of healthcare professionals’ (HCPs’) and patients’ perspectives on the value of CCM provided at the center. Twelve patients and twelve HCPs participated in semi-structured one-toone interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed and interpreted using a deductive coding thematic analysis process. Results: The interviews resulted in 14 different themes under the predefined domains: components of CCM (five themes), the impact of CCM (three themes), facilitators of CCM provision (three themes), and barriers of CCM provision (three themes). The majority of the participants indicated easy access to and communication with HCPs at QPDC. Participants appreciated the extra time spent with HCPs, frequent follow-up visits, and health education, which empowered them to self-manage DM. Generally, participants identified barriers and facilitators related to patients, HCPs, and healthcare system. Conclusion: The providers and users of CCM had an overall positive perception and appreciation of this model in PHC settings. Barriers to CCM such as unpleasant attitude and undesirable attributes of HCPs and patients, unsupportive hospital system, and high workload must be addressed before implementing the model in other PHC settings.
Exploration of Sleep Quality and Sleep Hygiene among QU students
Authors: Ali Raja Mahamade , Zolezzi Monica , Awaisu Ahmed
Published: December 2020

Sleep is an important component of healthy lifestyles. Worldwide reports suggest that one in every three adults suffers from insomnia. University students are vulnerable to insomnia due to their stressful lifestyle and inconsistent sleeping schedules, which contribute to poor, sleep hygiene. The purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of sleeping problems among university students in Qatar and to investigate factors contributing to insomnia development. A cross-sectional survey utilizing two validated sleep questionnaires, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the sleep hygiene index (SHI), were administered to Qatar University (QU) students in either English or Arabic. An online survey was sent to all QU students through e-mail. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse and report the findings. A total of 2,062 students responded to this survey. Most of the respondents were females, Qataris, and the majority of them belonged to the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics or Engineering. Around 25% of the participating students reported previous use of sleep aids. The findings indicated that the majority of the students had poor sleep quality (69.7%) and poor sleep hygiene (79%). A positive association was found between sleep quality and sleep hygiene (r = 0.39; p < 0.0001). College distribution and marital status were shown to significantly influence sleep quality (p =0.031 and p=0.02 respectively). The regression analysis revealed that sleep hygiene had the greatest effect on sleep quality (accounting for 7% of the variance) and individuals with good sleep hygiene were 4 times more likely to have good sleep quality. The findings of this study suggest that poor sleep quality and inadequate sleep hygiene practices are common among university students in Qatar, both of which may have a negative impact on students’ academic performance which warrants further investigation in future studies.
In Vitro Comparison of Two Single Layer Hand Sewn End-to-End Anastomosis Techniques in Normal Equine Jejunum: A Pilot study
Authors: Al-Kharraz Heba , Nader Rahaf , Al-Asmakh Maha , Johnson Jessica P
Published: December 2020

Background: The equine small intestine can be affected by a variety of disorders, which may require some form of bypass or anastomosis procedure. Several small intestinal anastomosis techniques have been reported in scientific literature with the intention to minimize post-operative complications, however to our knowledge there are no published descriptions of the hand-sewn end-to-end single layer simple continuous Appositional technique for equine jejunojejunostomy. Objective: To compare and evaluate differences in the single layer continuous Appositional and the single layer continuous Lembert with respect to construction time, leakage pressure and bursting pressure; for the purpose of small intestinal anastomosis in the horse. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the time spent in the execution, leakage pressure and bursting pressure will be similar between the single layer continuous Lembert and the single layer simple continuous Appositional techniques. Since this is a pilot study, it is the first step to prove the efficacy of the Appositional technique by showing its similarity with the Lembert technique, considering the latter to be the ‘gold standard’. Methodology: Thirty-Seven intestinal segments from two horses were used to compare the single layer continuous Appositional and single layer continuous Lembert techniques. The time taken to execute the anastomoses, and the number of bites taken for each pattern, were recorded. Biomechanical testing was performed to determine leakage pressure and bursting pressure. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8. Result: The comparison in construction time between the Lembert group (mean, 24.23 mins, n=19) and the Appositional group (mean, 21.74 mins, n=18) were found to be statistically insignificant (P=0.3088). There was also no changes in Leakage pressure (P=0.3862) and bursting pressure (P=0.3135) between the two groups. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the Appositional technique is a viable alternative to the Lembert technique, with respect to construction time, leakage and bursting pressures, for the purpose of end-to-end jejunojejunal anastomosis in the horse
Unraveling Gene Expression Profiles of Cardiac Genes that Participate in Embryonic development of Congenital Heart Defects using Chick Embryo
Authors: Nasr Amal , Omar Aya , Alser Maha , Yalcin Huseyin , Benslimane Fatiha
Published: December 2020

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a rare but serious subtype of congenital heart defect (CHDs) at which the hemodynamics are disturbed. In this project, HLHS was introduced surgically by left atrial ligation (LAL) to embryonic chicks and the subsequent effects of it were studied. Different tests were done post-LAL to study cardiac morphology, function, and gene expression of cardiac markers.
Prevalence of Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) among Healthy Individuals with Different Nationalities in Qatar
Authors: Debnath Prattyasha Rani , Amanullah Fathima , Nasrallah Gheyath
Published: December 2020

Background: Detection of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by different immunoassays (usually indirect fluorescence assay IFA) is the most common and sensitive screening test used for the diagnosis of many types of autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Moreover, a high titer of ANA can be frequently found in healthy individuals, making it not a very specific marker of autoimmunity. However, the information about the prevalence of these false positive ANA in a healthy individual is not well investigated around the world particularly in Asia and MENA region including Qatar. Objectives: The aim of this study was to (i) estimate the prevalence of ANA among male healthy individuals of local and expatriate communities residing in Qatar and (ii) to evaluate the performance of a new commercial ELISA kit using two quality control parameters; analytical sensitivity (endpoint titration) and positive predictive value (PPV). Methodology: Sera collected from a total of 2965 volunteer donors of age 18 years or older, attending Hamad Medical Corporation between 2013 and 2016, were used to test for the presence of ANA IgG using Bioprobes Srl microplate ELISA kits. All positive ELISA kit results were retested using the IFA IgG for the detection of ANA nuclear staining patterns. Results: ANA prevalence among the healthy population was 0.34%, as only 10 samples out of 2965 were positive by the ANA ELISA. An additional 12 borderline samples were also detected raising the prevalence to 0.74% (22/2965). The Irani nationals had the highest prevalence of ANA with 1.83%. About 70% of the samples had a nuclear-speckled staining pattern. ELISA kit showed excellent performance efficiency, i.e., similar titration score to IFA for positive samples and high PPV (100%). Conclusion: This is the first ANA comprehensive study in the MENA region with such a large sample size. According to literature and our own literature review, the average prevalence of ANA in healthy individuals in a different part of the world is usually about 3-15%; however, in Qatar, it is only 0.34%. We recommend using the new Dia. Pro ELISA kit for ANA screening as this kit showed high efficiency for detecting ANA in comparison to the gold standard IFA assay.
The Microbiome and Epigenome Profile in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes in Qatar
Authors: Bakhash Rama Bakhash , Sulaiman Farzana , Al-Shafai Mashael , Terranegra Annalisa
Published: December 2020

This study focused on Qatar’s pediatric population that has witnessed a steep increase in the incidence of the disease. In order to understand this, we analyzed the blood and stool samples of a pilot group of 21 T1D subjects (age 6-12 years old) for the microbiome composition, Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) levels and methylation profiles using 16s rDNA sequencing, gas Chromatography and Infinium methylation assay respectively.
Determination of Ocps and Pops Residues in Local Produce in Qatar and their Health Implications
Authors: Dahir Hana , Mohamed Alaa , Alsaeedi Sara , Elobeid Tahra
Published: December 2020

In this study, a total of 49 samples of fruits and vegetables (dates, leafy vegetables and fruiting vegetables) produced locally in the farms in Qatar and 42 samples of soil and water from these farms were analyzed using Gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC/ECD), and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect residual levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The levels of OCPs of all samples were below the MRLs. The correlation analysis results showed that water and soil could be a potential source of the contamination of aBHC, b-BHC, heptachlor, g-chlordane and endrin in the fruit and vegetable samples. In this study, a risk assessment analysis was also performed to estimate daily intake of OCPs by Qatari population. The risk assessment study revealed that the intake of the studied OCPs posed no risk to human health due to their levels of intake below MRLs.