bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empirical Investigation into Compensation Preferences for Diversified Employees
Authors: Asfour Ahmed Al-
Published: October 2012

Motivational factors play an essential role with increasing employee job satisfaction. Satisfied employees in return can help improve organizational performance. Hence, it is the purpose of this paper to examine intrinsic and extrinsic motivation preferences between domestic and foreign employees working at a factory in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Three hypotheses were developed and examined by the researcher. The first and second tests showed that foreign and domestic employees view both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation alike. The third hypothesis stated that the employees would prefer one motivation method, and indeed the t-test showed that employees rated extrinsic motivation more highly than intrinsic  Key words: Domestic & Foreign Employees Motivation, Intrinsic & Extrinsic Employees Motivation, Reward Systems
The Challenges Facing Schools’ Inspection Amid Universal Basic Education (UBE) Implementation In Nigeria
Authors: Matthew Ige Akindele
Published: October 2012

In 1999, Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme was inaugurated in Nigeria, to increase the access of the citizens to basic education and correct other loopholes inherent in its provision. Since the inception of the programme, there have been massive commitments of human, materials and financial resources to its implementation to ensure that its objectives are achieved holistically even amid the parlous state of the economy. Over the years, inspection has been an activity which is geared towards the improvement of the quality of education being provided in schools and the effectiveness of the teachers. In spite of the role it can play in achieving this feats and the objectives of Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme, inspection is ineffectively carried out in Nigeria because of many challenges it is facing. This paper examines the challenges facing inspection in Nigeria such as inadequate resources, inadequate qualified inspectors, limited time, uncooperative attitude of schools’ administrators and teachers, corruption, among others. To achieve this feat, reports of authors, statistics and findings of researches in literature were explored. To improve the state of inspection in the country, adequate funding, recruitment of more qualified inspectors, regular training and re-training of the inspectors, among others, are imperative.
Perspectives of University Graduates about benefits of National Internship Program & the Perceived Impact of its Discontinuation
Authors: Jamil Dr. Asif , Kareem Uzma , Atta Malik Amer , Rehman Muhammad Hafeez-ur- , Khan Muhammad Younis , Jan Tahirullah
Published: October 2012

The study aimed at investigating the benefits or otherwise of National Internship Programme of Pakistan as perceived by the graduates of Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan. Another area of investigation was to ascertain the impact of discontinuation of the Programme. The findings of this research indicated that National Internship Programme has been successful in terms of providing professional knowledge, hands on experience, financial support, exposure to the main stream job market as well as employment opportunities to the internees. The Program changed the perception of the students’ altogether, which were now beginning to appreciate all the possible benefits resulting from the programme. The discontinuation of the National Internship programme has been seen as a step that will not only put a stop to all the benefits that were being derived by the internees but it will also be a contributing factor towards lack of professional development, less financial independence and increased levels of un-employment for the fresh graduates. The study strongly recommends allocating additional resources to fund similar internship programs, improving program flexibility and further encouraging student participation.   Keywords: National Internship Programme, Graduates, Benefits, Discontinuation
Comparative Study of the Professional Attitudes of Prospective Teachers Recruited in Regular and Distance Education Programmes
Authors: Kareem Uzma , Jamil Dr Asif , Atta Malik Amer , Khan Mohammad Younis , Jan Tahirullah
Published: October 2012

Lack of professional attitude in teachers is the burning issue nowadays. The study was done in order to judge whether this difference results due to changed methodology of teaching in distance and regular programmes. The prime focus was on doing a comparative analysis of the professional attitude among the students enrolled in regular and distance) programmes (B.Ed and M.Ed level) in IER, Gomal University and reasons for the differences. Research findings revealed that students enrolled in regular programmes show high levels of professionalism as compared to distance education students. Similarly B.Ed students enrolled in regular programmes showed the highest levels of professional attitude. Keywords:      Professional attitude, Distance Education, Regular Education, Prospective Teachers
Development and Standardization of Intelligence Test for Children
Authors: Hussain Liaquat , Jamil Asif , Siraji M. Junaid , Maroof Kiran
Published: October 2012

The problem under study was the development and standardization of intelligence test for children’s. The main objectives of the study were to develop test items and Determining the Difficulty Level and Calculating the Discrimination Index of the test items. The study was significant because an intelligence test provides standardized ways of comparing a child performance with that of other children observed in the same situation (Anastasi, 1950). The study was delimited to only 600 children’s of age group 6 to 11 years. Two statistical techniques difficulty level and discrimination index were used for item.
Work-Related Open-Globe Injuries: Demographics and Clinical Characteristics
Authors: Bauza Alain M. , Emami Parisa , Son Jung H. , Langer Paul , Zarbin Marco , Bhagat Neelakshi
Published: October 2012

Purpose.

To describe the demographics and clinical characteristics of work-related open-globe injuries (OGIs) at a level I trauma center over a 10-year period.

Methods.

Retrospective series.

Results.

A total of 183 eyes with work-related OGIs were identified. The majority of injuries occurred in men (96.7%). The anatomic site of the wound was zone 1 in 107 eyes (72.3%). The most common cause was nail gun use (47.0%). The types of OGI included 32 ruptures (17.5%), 112 penetrating injuries (61.2%), 38 intraocular foreign bodies (IOFB) (20.8%), and 1 mixed rupture/IOFB injury (0.5%). Presenting visual acuity (VA) was worse than 20/200 in 112 eyes (65.9%) and no light perception (NLP) in 10 eyes (5.8%). Final VA worse than 20/200 occurred in 64 eyes (37.2%); 11 eyes underwent enucleation. In comparison to non-work-related OGIs (420 eyes), we found significant differences in types and zones of injury, initial and final mean VA, enucleation rate, incidence of cataracts, hyphema, retinal detachment, hemorrhagic choroidals, and afferent pupillary defect (APD). Using multivariate analysis, significant prognostic factors for a final VA of NLP were zone 3 injury, rupture injury, and initial VA of NLP. Risk factors for enucleation included zone 3 injury, APD, and endophthalmitis.

Conclusions.

Work-related injuries were noted to have a much higher incidence of IOFBs and cataracts compared to non-work-related OGIs. Zone 3 injuries, rupture injuries, and a presenting VA of NLP were found to be significant predictors for a final VA of NLP. Zone 3 injury, APD, and endophthalmitis were found to be significant predictors for enucleation.
The cancer multi-disciplinary team from the co-ordinators' perspective:
Authors: Jalil Rozh , Lamb Benjamin , Russ Stephanie , Sevdalis Nick , Green James
Published: October 2012

Background:
The multi-disciplinary team (MDT) coordinator’s role is relatively new and as such is evolving. What is apparent is that the coordinator's work is pivotal to the effectiveness and efficiency of an MDT.

Objectives:
This study aimed to assess the views and needs of MDT-coordinators.

Methods:
Views of MDT-coordinators were evaluated through an online survey that covered their current practice and role, MDT chairing, opinions on how to improve MDT meetings, and coordinators' educational/training needs.

Results:
265 coordinators responded to the survey. More than one third of the respondents felt that the job plan does not reflect their actual duties. It was reported that medical members of the MDT always contribute to case discussions. 66.9% of the respondents reported that MDTs are chaired by surgeons. The majority reported having training on data management and IT skills but more than 50% reported that further training is needed in areas of oncology, anatomy and physiology, audit and research, peer-review, and leadership skills (Figure 1)

Conclusions:
The MDT coordinator’s role is central to the care of cancer patients. The study reveals areas of training requirements that remain unmet. Improving the resources and training available to MDT-coordinators can give them an opportunity to develop the required additional skills and contribute to improved MDT performance and ultimately cancer care. MDTs in the developmental stage should benefit from the experience of well-established organisations to enhance the cancer care. Finally, this study acknowledges the recent launch of a new e-learning training programme for MDT coordinators that is an important resource for these cancer key workers.
Analog-to-digital conversion, a practical approach and its applications in real world system-on-chip (SOC)
Authors: Sarraj Maher
Published: October 2012

Data converters play a crucial role in interfacing real time analog signals to the digital processing circuitry. Almost every SOC (system-on-chip) silicon design has an analog front/back end, which includes either an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) or a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). There is a wide range of applications that uses data converters spanning from medical systems to industrial control to audio players like the iPod. The resolution and speed of the converter depends on the application. For example, in video processors, the ADC resolution is 8/10 bits and the clock rate is approximately 150 MHz; whereas in digital audio applications, the resolution is much higher at 16/24 bits and the clock rate is about 44 KHz. We will discuss how ADCs are used in touch screen controllers and in high-energy detectors or medical imaging systems.
High-Tc superconductivity: from basic research to useful applications
Authors: Malaeb Walid , Ishida Yukiaki , Okazaki Kozo , Ota Yuuichi , Shin Sik
Published: October 2012

Background:
Superconductivity is the complete loss of electric resistance in some elements and compounds cooled below a transition temperature (Tc). Since its discovery more than 100 years ago, this phenomenon has enriched basic science in ways that nobody could have foreseen. Moreover, superconductors have been used in various applications like power transmission, high magnetic field generation, levitated high-speed trains (MAGLEV), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In a county, like Qatar, seeking to find alternative renewable energy sources, superconductors can be greatly useful in connecting the electric power generated from the renewable energy sources (solar and wind power) with superconducting devices (especially cables) to fulfill the energy saving and sustainability objectives.

Objectives and methods:
The effective use of superconductors in applications requires a better understanding of the basic phenomena of high-Tc superconductivity. For this purpose, several techniques are used especially photoemission spectroscopy which is considered as the most powerful tool to directly investigate the electronic structure of solids including superconductors. This technique is based on the photoelectric effect where various light sources like synchrotron radiation, lasers and others may be used. We have been using photoemission spectroscopy to investigate the electronic structure of newly discovered superconductors known as iron pnictides since their discovery in Japan in 2008. We have used several facilities like the Institute for Solid State Physics at the University of Tokyo in Japan, Photon Factory in Japan, Hiroshima Synchrotron Radiation Center at Hiroshima University in Japan, and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at Stanford University in USA. Our work was published in refereed scientific journals and presented at many international conferences worldwide and has had important implications on this field from the very early stage.

Results and conclusions:
In this paper, I will present an introduction about superconductivity and highlight on its various possible applications especially in Qatar. Also I will present an overview of our research on newly discovered iron pnictide superconductors using photoemission spectroscopy and how our results led to a better understanding of high-Tc superconductivity in these compounds.
Modeling and characterization of deformation in magnesium alloys for energy efficiency
Authors: Zbib Hussein , Askari Hesam , Young John , Field David , Kridli Ghassan
Published: October 2012

The need to produce vehicles with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions has led the automotive industry to consider the use of "lightweighting" materials in the construction of automotive body and chassis systems. Towards this end, interest has been increasingly focusing on the use of sheet magnesium in the manufacture of panels and structural components by utilizing recent advances in twin-roll casting technology of magnesium. However, challenges in the areas of manufacturing, material processing and modeling need to be resolved in order to fully utilize magnesium alloys. Despite the limited formability of magnesium alloys at room temperature due to its hexagonal close-packed crystalline structure, studies have shown that the formability of magnesium alloys can be significantly improved by processing the material at elevated temperatures and by modifying the microstructure to increase ductility. Such improvements can potentially be achieved by processes such as superplastic forming and warm forming along with sheet manufacturing techniques such as Twin Roll Casting (TRC). In this work we investigate the superplastic behavior of twin-roll cast AZ31B through mechanical testing, microstructure characterization and modeling. The experimental results show that the as-received AZ31B sheet consists of relatively large gains, and while it is brittle at low temperature it is ductile at high temperature with activation energies of the deformation close to that of lattice diffusion. The material analyzed possesses medium strain-rate sensitivity of 0.27 with a relatively modest ductility of about 74%. Based on the experimental results, we use a physically-based constitutive model for deformation. The model integrates the main microstructural features, grain shape and grain orientations, within a self-consistent viscoplasticity theory with internal variables. Simulation of the deformation process at room temperature shows activity of the basal and prismatic systems at the early stages of deformation and increasing activity of pyramidal systems due to twinning. The predicted texture from the model is consistent with the experimental results. With the use of the appropriate model parameters, the stress strain relationship can be described accurately over the range of low strain rates.
Recent progress in wide bandgap materials GaN/InGaN for concentrated photovoltaics
Authors: Ougazzaden Abdallah , Pantzasa K. , Moudakirb T. , Sureshb S. , El Gmilib Y. , Dickersona J. , Vossa P. L.
Published: October 2012

In recent years, concentration has been adopted as a promising strategy to high $/W ratio of photovoltaic energy conversion. In concentrated photovoltaics, the Sun's energy is focused into a smaller area allowing for the conversion of sunlight into electricity using only a small low-cost photovoltaic cell. Conventional solar concentrators, which use III-V are, however, costly to produce. Ideally, the material should perform well under high concentration and be affordable. We propose to construct solar cells based on an excellent candidate materials system, InGaN, whose band gap can be adjusted from 0.7 eV to 3.4 eV as the indium content is reduced. Recent progress has resulted in InGaN solar cells with 97% internal quantum efficiency and 57% external quantum efficiency with an active region only 60 nm thick. This work demonstrates that electron-hole pairs are very efficiently collected in InGaN materials and the absorption is very strong at the band gap. The toughness of the nitride materials translates into its excellent performances under harsh environments: high temperature and humidity and high concentration. Georgia Tech-CNRS and their partners have developed unique lift-off technologies that dramatically lower nitride cost as a result of the ability to reuse the substrates used for the growth of nitrides. These lift-off technologies are also favorable for integration of InGaN cells with building materials like glass or metal, or with other solar cells, such as those made of silicon. In this presentation InGaN solar cells progress and results will be presented.
ReStore: Reusing results of MapReduce jobs
Authors: Aboulnaga Ashraf , Elghandour Iman
Published: October 2012

'Big Data' analysis has become a central activity in business and science. Companies such as Facebook, Yahoo, and Google now own petabyte-scale data warehouses that are accessed on a regular basis. Terabyte-scale data warehouses are now common in many smaller organizations. This big data analysis is mostly supported by the MapReduce programming and execution model and its implementations, most notably Hadoop which is now one of the major big data platforms.

Users of MapReduce often have analysis tasks that are too complex to express as one MapReduce job. Instead, they often use high-level query languages such as Pig Latin, Hive, or Jaql to express their complex analysis tasks. The compilers of these query languages translate queries into workflows of MapReduce jobs. Each job in such a workflow produces an output that is stored in the distributed file system used by the MapReduce system (e.g., HDFS in the case of Hadoop). These intermediate results are used as input by subsequent jobs in the workflow. The current practice is to delete these intermediate outputs after finishing the execution of the workflow. In our work, we developed ReStore, a system that improves the performance of workflows of MapReduce jobs generated from high-level query languages by storing the intermediate results of executed workflows and reusing them for future workflows submitted to the system.

ReStore can be built on top of dataflow language processor such as Pig, which translates queries into workflows of MapReduce jobs. Each of these MapReduce jobs has a physical query execution plan that contains one or more physical operators that are executed by this job. ReStore rewrites the MapReduce jobs in a submitted workflow at the level of the physical query execution plan in order to reuse job outputs previously stored in the system. ReStore also stores the outputs of executed jobs for future reuse, and creates more reuse opportunities by storing the outputs of parts of jobs (which we call sub-jobs). We have implemented ReStore as an extension to the Pig dataflow system on top of Hadoop, and we experimentally demonstrated significant speedups on queries from the PigMix benchmark.
Efficient manufacturing of viral vectors for cancer therapies
Authors: Kamen Amine
Published: October 2012

HEK-293 cell lines have been widely used for over 35 years by the scientific community. Currently HEK-293 cells are the most efficient system for the improved production of ribosomal proteins and viral vectors by large-scale transfection of suspension-growing cells in serum-free medium. Also, it is the most established cell line for the production of adeno- and adeno-associated viruses, retro- and lentiviruses for gene therapy applications. Additionally HEK-293 cells sustain replication of many viruses that are evaluated as vaccines or viro-therapeutic agents. Consequently numerous viral vectors produced in HEK-293 cells have been approved for phase II and phase III clinical trials.

In this presentation, major achievements in process developments completed at NRC to support the large scale manufacturing of viral vectors and vaccines using HEK-293 technology platform will be reviewed. In particular, we will discuss the development of REOLYSIN®, an oncolytic reovirus type 3 Dearing based therapeutic that is currently evaluated in phase III. The REOLYSIN® manufacturing process was scaled-up to a 100 L operation volume to support multicenter clinical evaluation. Advanced online monitoring tools allowed a very precise characterisation of viral infection and production kinetics to demonstrate process robustness, define critical process parameters and establish the process operating space according to the Quality-by-Design guidelines. Through different examples, the presentation will also discuss practises and experiences at NRC in supporting translational research and technology transfer.
Consanguineous marriage in Qatar: Marriage selection in a society in transition
Authors: Kaltham Ali Al-Ghanim
Published: October 2012

This study examines the practice of arranged marriage with close relatives in Qatar. A survey was conducted on 521 young males and females to identify weather youth attitudes towards marriage selection have changed and to what extent their attitudes are influenced by the traditional standards of the arranged marriage which is associated with kinship system. The study also reviewed many previous studies about marriage in the region, dating back to the last century, and compared them with the results of more recent studies and the current study.

The study findings showed that the practice of this form of consanguineous marriage is common in the region, and remains common, in spite of the rapid modernization and urbanization of the region. The perseverance of these practices challenges some of the fundamental assumptions about the correlation between modernization and social change.

From a practical standpoint, the perseverance of these consanguineous marriage practices also represents a significant risk to the societies in question, as endogamous marriage practices within a tribe result in high levels of congenital disorders. This study suggests the cultural foundation of these practices, and recommends that programs seeking to remedy these problems take aim at their social and cultural roots.
المديونية بين الاسر القطرية أبعادها و آثارها
Authors: Al-Merekhi Noora Nasser
Published: October 2012

أن ظاهرة المديونية ليست بظاهرة جديدة على الانسان كما أنها منتشرة بين كل الشعوب، إلا أنها تأخذ أشكالا ًوأبعاداً مختلفة، كما أنها تظهر لأسباب و ظروف متباينة. و تأتي هذه الدراسة في ضوء اتساع ظاهرة المديونية بين الأسر القطرية و لجوء الكثير منهم لتمويل إنفاقها الاستهلاكي أو الاستثماري عن طريق القروض مما يشكل عبءً على كاهل بعضها ويؤثر على مستوى رفاهيتها.
تهدف الدراسة إلى قياس حجم ظاهرة المديونية على مستوى الأسر القطرية و أفرادها. هذا بالإضافة إلى التعرف على خصائص تلك الاسر و تشخيص العوامل المؤثرة في الظاهرة و أخيراً التعرف على خصائص القروض و العبء الذي تشكله على كاهل الأسر و أثرها على رفاهيتها الاقتصادية.
أما من حيث المنهج المستخدم فقد اعتمدت الدراسة على إجراء مسح بالعينة شمل ( 1368 ) أسرة قطرية ، و باستخدام استمارة مقننه و يمكن تلخيص نتائج الدراسة في:
*أن ثلاثة أسر من بين كل أربع مدينة كما أن فردا واحداً على الأقل من بين كل أربعة مدين.
* وجود ارتباط قوي بين ظاهرة المديونية و كل من متغير الدخل، النوع، المستوى التعليمي، الحالة الزواجية، نوع حيازة المسكن و العمر.
* أهمية العامل النفسي عند الانسان و قناعته بشكل عام و بما لدية من موارد مالية بشكل خاص على مستوى رضاه عن وضعة الاقتصادي من ناحية و على قراراته المالية من ناحية أخرى.
*يمكن تقسيم الاسر ممثلة بأفرادها حسب سبب لجوءها للديون لنوعين، الأولى أسر تسد حاجات أساسية لها، وهي غالباً ما تتصف بكبر حجمها، انخفاض دخلها و المستوى التعليمي لأفرادها ، كما ترتفع معدلات خدمة ديونها و بالتالي هي أكثر عرضة لمخاطر التعثر. أما الثانية فهي أسر تلجأ للديون لسد حاجات كمالية مرتبطة بنمطها الاستهلاكي المبالغ به و بالتالي تحمل نفسها عبئا اقتصادياً هي في غنى عنه.
*تشكل قروض السيارات أكثر أنواع القروض انتشارا ، تليها القروض العقارية،. كذلك تحتل البنوك المرتبة الأولى كمصدر رسمي للقروض تليها جهات العمل فمصادر التمويل غير الرسمية.

تقترح الدراسة مجموعة من الإجراءات التي تتجهة لتعزيز شبكة الحماية الاجتماعية. كما تقترح اجراءات ترفع من مستوى الوعي و الثقافة المالية بما فيها آليات مختلفة لتوفير مصادر معلومات للافراد. هذا بالإضافة إلى اجراءات تعزز شفافية المؤسسات المالية و مراجعات تشريعية أخرى تتعلق بتسوية الديون و اعادة هيكلتها
Why is Islamic infrastructure financing important for Qatar? A survey of Islamic project finance in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries
Authors: Tariq Wijdan
Published: October 2012

Infrastructure assets and services, such as water, energy, transport and telecommunications, play a vital role in promoting economic prosperity, political stability and human development. However, throughout the Muslim world, the availability of infrastructure services is poor due to the combination of growing populations, rapid urbanization, and historic underinvestment in infrastructure. These factors as well as the constant need for technological advancements put extreme pressures on public budgets, many of which are already constrained. Huge investment in infrastructure is needed through a consorted effort between the public and private sector. In Qatar alone, the pipeline of infrastructure projects is estimated at over $70 billion up to 2030. Among the most important sources of financing in the Muslim world is Islamic finance. However, data suggests that Islamic finance and capital market activity in infrastructure projects (excluding real estate) has been relatively limited. The objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of Islamic finance in infrastructure projects, to investigate the current state of Islamic infrastructure finance within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, and to suggest ways of overcoming the challenges that Islamic and infrastructure finance face.

The paper begins with a review of the economic literature on the importance of infrastructure to economic development, poverty alleviation, entrepreneurship and trade. The paper argues that there is a natural theoretical and ideological link between Islamic finance and infrastructure finance. Sources of financing infrastructure projects are then analyzed, and the mechanics of Islamic project financing are explained. The Islamic infrastructure finance market in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries is then surveyed. Case studies of past projects are then presented drawing attention to four areas: (1) structure of Islamic finance products for infrastructure financing; (2) challenges facing the use of Islamic finance; (3) potential development of new products; and (4) implications for policy-makers. The information presented in this research will provide useful lessons for GCC member countries on a subject that is given scarce attention to by academia.
Analysis of energy demand through econometric modeling
Authors: Pokharel Shaligram , Ahmade Aalieh , Al-Ansari Fajr , Al Allaf Hana , Daneshvar Mina , AbdalQadir Ahmad Mohd
Published: October 2012

Energy is an important driver for the socio-economic development of a country. Only a sufficient amount of quality energy can promote economic development and satisfy energy demand of the people. Therefore, one important aspect of energy planning is to devise policies that can promote a justifiable use of energy consumption. In order to be able to do so, energy planners use various kinds of mathematical models.
In this research, we studied electricity consumption in Qatar through econometric models. As residential and industrial activities are the two most demanding electricity consuming activities in Qatar, we have focused our analysis on these two sectors only. The analysis studies the historical growth pattern and fits the consumption pattern through various econometric models. The most significant model is then proposed for use to forecast electricity consumption for a specified planning period into the future. We believe that an understanding of relationship between electricity consumption and various socio-economic variables will help the planners to develop better generation and transmission policies.
Our analysis shows that most of the socio-economic variables may not fit the model due to the electricity consumption characteristics in Qatar. However, the chosen econometric models provide insignificant absolute difference with actual electricity consumption.
Once the future values of socio-economic variables are made available, reliable forecast can be obtained for use by the decision makers. We present various results obtained from the analysis.
Olympic education in museums: An experience report
Authors: Neto-Wacker Marcia de Franceschi , Alsofiany Eman , Rolim Silva Luis Henrique
Published: October 2012

Based on the idea that museums are non-formal education places and therefore play an important role in the collective memory of their respective societies, this paper aims to examine the Olympic Education Program realized in the 'Olympics through Media Exhibition' organized by the Qatar Museums Authority departments in Doha, Qatar in 2012.
The phrase 'olympic education' (OE) was first used by Norbert Muller in 1975. Muller based his studies on Pierre de Coubertin's (founder of the modern Olympics) writings. Naul explains that the writings of Coubertin were interpreted by several authors and all these studies were included in the framework of an OE. Thus, the OE became a complex topic used in a multidisciplinary field connecting different areas of knowledge and having the main focus on the Olympic sport, the multiculturalism and the fair play. Based on that, formal and non-formal educational institutions develop programs of OE.
Olympic and sport museums can be considered non-formal educational institutions where OE can be developed through exhibitions. Education in museums can be defined "as a set of values, concepts, knowledge and practices aimed at ensuring the visitor's development; it is connected with the notion of awakening, which aims to arouse curiosity, to lead to questioning and develop the capacity to think". Following this approach, the educational program of the 'Olympics through Media Exhibition' was planned.
The program was based on the values of Qatari society and the Olympic values. The staff was trained to promote interactivity in a dedicated area for children. There the activities included drawing, painting, video-gaming, quizzes, puzzles, guided tours, etc. The exhibition took place during school vacation; therefore an exclusive Holyday Program was organized with more than seventy children of different ages.
The formal teaching of OE is still under development in Qatar. However the non-formal initiatives, such as cultural exhibitions, are already contributing to this process. The places of non-formal education, once they are connected with the local culture, are able to transmit important values from sport to society.
A literacy exercise: An extracurricular reading program as an intervention to develop student reading habits in Qatar
Authors: Nasser Ramzi , Al-Hajri Sama , Al-Hail Hanan Ahmed
Published: October 2012

This paper presents the implementation of a two-month reading extracurricular activity designed for fourth grade students. The resulting data and analysis detailed primary students attitudes towards reading, teacher self-efficacy, teacher instructional behavior and home literacy measures. The reading program was designed through a Qatar University partnership with the Childhood Cultural Center, both non-governmental organizations. The program was run in four schools selected randomly. The program was announced to each school and students in the four schools were asked if they wished to enroll after receiving parental consent. In total there were 248 in the treatment group (students who enrolled in the reading program in the English and Arabic) and 176 students who were recruited in the control group (did not enroll in the program). The main analytical design was a split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) design. The findings of this study suggested that students in the reading program were prone to have higher interest than those who did not enroll in the reading program, even when factoring out parental and home environment effects. This paper begins by providing background information on the importance of reading. An overview is presented of existing evidence on the effectiveness of an after-school setting and a description of the reading program tested to support the implementation of these models in school sites. The results from this study provide an impact evaluation and recommendations for further implementation.
Suckling, adoption and the incest taboo: Significance of studying kinship for social science and for Qatar
Authors: El-Guindi Fadwa
Published: October 2012

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES:
Kinship, the cross-cultural subject of this project-based paper, is dynamic in Qatari life and has specialized conceptual/ methodological tools. Within it, 'incest taboo' ("tahrim" in Arabic), a human universal, generated numerous explanations: 'horror instinct', 'genetic degeneration', 'natural sexual desire among close kin', 'natural sexual aversion to close kin', and 'prevents in-marrying to create exchange and alliance'. Studying kinship, through systematic field research was made possible by two Undergraduate Research Experience Program Grants (6th and 9th cycles), generated data challenging these views. The data show Qatari culture providing solutions to societal paradoxes, whereby non-fertile women desiring children cannot simply 'adopt' them, they instead use distinctively Qatari kinship transformational mechanisms - suckling practices. This is demonstrated by live cases, revealing formal and practical features characterizing Qatari culture, with implications for theory and Qatar's future vision.

METHODS:
To understand human phenomena and sociocultural life, social science methodology combines multiple data collection techniques. This project used qualitative methods in a process of inquiry seeking in-depth information situating behavior in social/cultural setting, using various procedures: observation (participant/non-participant), interviewing (structured/open-ended), visual methods (still/moving pictures). To elicit kin terms of consanguinity, affinity and suckling, the team used open-ended interviews, chart-elicitation questionnaires, discussed in weekly educational seminars. Seventy consanguineal kinship charts, sixty-five affinal kin charts were used as elicitation 'models', whereas gathering suckling data was by in-depth interviews - 36 primary cases with derivative sub-cases.

RESULTS:
This project generated original data and theoretical insights. It improved learning outcomes in sociology by mentored junior colleagues, and led to Qatarization, training a QU female sociology student, subsequently admitted (as a first in Qatar) into a doctorate program in the US for sociological methods.

CONCLUSIONS:
* Suckling is kinship, like consanguinity and affinity, religiously sanctioned, socially approved mechanism for kin incorporation
* Adoption does not legitimately turn strangers into kin
* Suckling creates incest taboo, removing the need for avoidance ritual and behavior.
* Suckling has transformational qualities, restructuring kinship.
* Incest taboo and alliance theories are challenged
* Presumed cousin marriages may not be biological
Social and economic impacts on the Gulf region in general and Qatar in particular of the expected energy independence of the western hemisphere
Authors: Piet Remi
Published: October 2012

Recent projections for energy production on the American continent (from Canada to South America) are suggesting potential energy independence for the western hemisphere in the next fifteen years. The very large, newly found, oil reserves (mainly off the coast of Brazil), the technological progresses (allowing for the safe exploitation of tar sands in Canada) and the natural gas potential of shale gas in North America are changing the energy equation on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. What has been historically the Gulf region's main customer of hydrocarbon is likely to significantly decrease its import in the near future. Although other emerging regions (India, China, Africa) should make up for this loss in the short term, the global efforts to mitigate climate change are bound to encourage natural gas consumption over oil. GCC countries will thus face a strong challenge to diversify their customer networks and adapt their energy mix production - drifting away from oil towards natural gas and renewables. Each of the GCC countries will face different challenges, depending on their resource endowment and infrastructure network.

This research aims at analyzing the potential domestic impact of this new scarcity of demand. Each country in the Gulf region has developed a unique set of domestic institutions and economic structures whose resilience will be challenged.

This research implements comparative politics, theories and lenses, especially Thomas G. Moore's framework of analysis assessing the state's capacity to absorb external shocks and issue national responses for economic adjustment. It also reverses the argument developed by Ikenberry on European and American countries comparative economic responses to the oil shock in the 1970s.
The objective of this study is to inform Gulf countries' governments of the best original set of proactive policies and reforms that need to be adopted to ensure sustainable development, social progress, political stability and post-oil economic transition.
Sociolinguistics of social class in globalized Qatar: Residents' self-reflections
Authors: Theodoropoulou Irene
Published: October 2012

This is a sociocultural linguistic study on the ways whereby language is used by residents, both natives and expats, of Qatar, a highly globalized country in the Gulf area. The motivation for this study is Arabic sociolinguist Reem Bassiouney's observation that issues of social stratification and how the latter is reflected on language in the Arab world, and most prominently in the Gulf countries, are under-researched. Against this backdrop and trying to fill in this gap, the described methodology combines linguistic ethnography with research on archives and books describing issues of social organization relevant to contemporary Qatari society. Linguistic ethnography is seen as 'a method of social research, [which] seeks to capture and understand the meanings and dynamics in particular cultural settings'. My study includes data from ethnographic interviews with 3 people, one Qatari, one Italian and one Indian, who have been working in Qatar for at least six months (in this way, they are familiar with the (working) context of the country). The questions used in the interviews focus on the participants' (socio)linguistic choices, lifestyle choices, ideologies, beliefs, and values. It is argued that social class, at the level of people's self-reflections is constructed via sociolinguistic upscaling, namely by alluding to higher-order scales, which create social norms and are thus associated with power. Such an upscaling is further argued to index upward mobility. What this means is that higher orders tend to be more abstract, hence more powerful, exactly because they are associated with rules and norms of the society. In a nutshell, the basic finding in this study is that upward mobility in class consciousness takes place sociolinguistically by alluding to power via upscaling. Finally, the overarching argument put forward is that globalization tends to metamorphose the very essence of social class, as it renders it mobile, in constant flux, and eventually a new system consisting of resemiotized identity units. The findings will appeal to both linguists and sociologists working in and on Qatar.
Mental health issues among migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Literature review and case illustrations.
Authors: Al-Ghafry Maha , Saleh Marwa , Kronfol Ziad
Published: October 2012

Background and Objectives:
It is well established from the European and North American literature that migration has a great impact on the mental health of the migrant population. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are home to more than 13 million non-nationals, yet the mental health status and psychological well-being of this large population has rarely been investigated. The majority of migrants are blue collar or domestic workers coming from the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. There are isolated reports of psychosis and/or suicide among this 'at risk' population, but no reliable data are available. For this reason, we decided to conduct a systematic search of the literature to review the epidemiology and characteristics of the mental health issues of the migrant workers in the GCC countries.

Methods:
The literature search was conducted in both English and Arabic. The English search consisted of various words and combinations including migrant worker, domestic worker, mental health, Middle East, GCC countries and the six countries contributing the majority of the migrants to the GCC (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Indonesia). The search was conducted mainly in databases for academic journal articles such as PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo and Google Scholar. Also, for each of the six migrant countries of origin identified, a search through the country's own medical and psychiatric journals was performed. The Arabic search was carried out on ArabPsyNet.com using the aforementioned combinations in the English literature.

Results:
Our literature search revealed very little regarding the mental health of migrant workers in GCC countries. The available literature consisted mostly of theoretical presentations or isolated clinical reports. There was a suggestion of an increased rate of psychosis and suicidal attempts. Vey few systematic and/or quantitative studies have ever been published. We therefore present a series of brief clinical vignettes to illustrate the scope of the problem.

Conclusion:
The lack of available published data regarding the mental health status of migrant workers in the GCC countries is somewhat surprising. We discuss possible reasons for underreporting and present steps to be taken to address this important issue.
Early detection and treatment of chronic hepatitis C in a community-based setting in Doha, Qatar: A dynamic preventive model
Authors: Sharma Manik , Al Kaabi Saad , Al Dweik Nazeeh , John Anil , Derbala Moataz F , Al Mohannadi Muneera , Wani Hameed , Yakoob Rafae , Pasic Fuad , Elbedawi Mamoon , Butt Tariq , Singh Rajvir
Published: October 2012

Background:
Detecting early infection of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can prevent late-stage complications including the need for transplant and death. However, screening hepatitis C virus for early detection of the disease has not been found to be beneficial in average risk individuals according to US Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

Objectives:
The primary aim of this study was to detect infection with hepatitis C antibodies using a rapid immunochromatographic assay in a community setting. The secondary aims included assessment of prevalence rate, disease characteristics and response to the standard treatment.

Methods:
A screening survey of 13,704 people (0.9% of the population) was conducted from December 2008 through July 2010. It was carried out in three phases involving 4000, 3212 and 6492 average and high risk people. Hepatitis C antibodies were detected using a colloidal gold enhanced rapid immunochromatographic assay. The diagnosis of CHC was confirmed by measuring the viral load using highly sensitive molecular assays. All patients that were detected as having at least stage 1 disease on the liver biopsy were offered standard treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The complete cost of investigation and treatment was either state funded or supported through governmental charities.

Results:
272 (2%) people were detected to have antibodies against hepatitis C virus. 148 subjects (62%) consented for further confirmation of the disease by molecular assays. 69 subjects (70%) agreed to be treated of which 18 were finally excluded due to detection of minimal disease (stage zero) on the liver biopsy. Overall, 78% of patients were detected as having mild disease (stage 1-2) on histology. Of the 51 actually treated with dual antiviral therapy, 37 (72.4%) responded to the treatment and achieved a sustained viral response (SVR). The response rate was found to be superior to the standard of care at present. The screening strategy resulted in six times better the response rate (odds ratio 6.4, p-value 0.002, 95% CI 2.0-20.5).

Conclusion:
Hepatitis C was detected in 2% of the population using this novel method. A dynamic model (screening) resulted in detection of mild disease with a consequently higher response rate compared to the standard of care.
Computational analysis of a mutation in cardiac myosin binding protein-C
Authors: Yacoub Magdi , Gajendrarao Poornima , Krishnamoorthy Navaneeth
Published: October 2012

The cardiac muscle contraction is regulated by a set of proteins known as sarcomeric proteins, which are components of thick and thin filaments. Mutation in these proteins especially cardiac myosin binding protein-C, a multi-domain (C0-C10) protein, is one of the major causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, structure-function relationship of this protein is unclear. Mutation E258K, which is located in the C-terminal of domain C1, has been shown to be associated with HCM in Egypt. Hence, the purpose of the study was to understand the molecular basis of this missense mutation. Molecular modelling study was performed using the available crystal structure of the domain C1. Here, we have carried out molecular dynamic simulations for both WT and E258K for 10 ns, and the structures that showed major changes were considered for further analyses. Our results suggest that the mutation can change the local structural stability through altering a series of intramolecular interactions. Moreover, as the mutation results in replacement of a negative amino acid by a positive one, thus, it affects the surface electrostatic properties of the domain (Figure). Hence, it might interfere with the binding to neighbouring domains and with the other sarcomeric proteins such as actin and myosin. E258K appears to affect the structural integrity of the domain C1 both directly and indirectly. It is hoped that these findings can help to understand the molecular mechanism of the disease.