bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Green Inhibitors to Prevent Hydrates Formation, Protect Environment and Reduce Energy Cost in Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Atilhan Mert , Qureshi Fahed Aziz , Altamash Tausif , Tariq Muhammad , Khraisheh Majeda
Published: July 2019

Gas hydrates are identified as ice-liked solid, crystalline compounds having polyhedral water cavities, where gas molecules get trapped during operation under high pressure and low temperature condition. These hydrates have a tendency to completely block the pipelines and can cause major operations shutdown, leading to large economic losses and causing high safety risk in transmission pipelines. Thus, annually the oil and gas sector spends over 100 million US $ on purchase of chemical inhibitors that can help to prevent hydrates formation in subsea lines.

These inhibitors are classified into two separate categories, the thermodynamic and kinetic inhibitors. The thermodynamic inhibitors act by shifting the hydrates formation temperature and the kinetic inhibitors act by shifting the hydrates formation time. Currently, the thermodynamic inhibitors like Methanol and Methylene ethylene glycol (MEG) are mainly used in industry. These inhibitors are highly flammable and cannot be disposed of easily into the environment. They are required in bulk quantities (>30 wt%) and separate facility is needed for their storage and treatment process. This increases the overall energy cost and leads to major environmental disposal issue. Therefore, there is a high demand for inhibitors that are environmentally friendly and cost effective in oil and gas sector.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salt like compounds that have received attention due to their environmentally friendly, recyclable and non-flammable nature. These ILs have potential to prevent hydrate formation and they can act as both thermodynamic and kinetic inhibitors simultaneously. In this work, the Pyrrolidinium based ILs have been tested as gas hydrate inhibitors and synergistic compounds (Syn) are added with these ILs to improve their overall effectiveness. For the first time, the thermodynamic and kinetic study on ILs has been conducted using high dosage mixture of ILs + Syn on methane rich gas mixture to check their effectiveness in preventing gas hydrates formation.

All the experiments are performed using a high pressure rocking cell assembly supplied by PSL Systemtechnik GmBH, at different pressures ranging from (40 to 120) bars. According to the tests results, we have evaluated that the mixtures were able to prevent hydrates formation by providing a temperature shift of up to 2.2°C at low pressures and by delaying hydrates formation time by (6 to 14) hours.

These results confirm the dual inhibition behaviour of these mixtures, as they were able to shift hydrates formation temperature and delay hydrates formation time simultaneously. The results were also compared with widely known industrial inhibitor methanol and only a difference of 0.5°C was observed. Thus, this research provides an innovative approach towards development of environmentally friendly inhibitors and to reduce energy cost in the oil and gas industry.
A Novel Forward Osmosis Desalination Process for Irrigation and Industrial Purposes
Authors: Sharif Adel Obaid , Aryafar Maryam M.
Published: July 2019

The availability of clean water for agriculture has become a growing concern because of the increasing global water scarcity. Agriculture sector already accounts for around 70% of the total water withdrawals in the world whereas domestic and industrial water use is about 10% and 21% respectively. Desalinated water has high quality and irrigating with desalinated water would result in 24% increase in the crop yield and assist a 45% reduction in the current water irrigation volume simultaneously. However desalination is an energy intensive process and an expensive option. The current membrane and thermal desalination systems have many limitations, including high energy consumption and capital cost, especially for thermal methods, coupled with negative environmental impacts due to the discharge of brines and chemicals. Forward Osmosis (FO) promises to overcome most of the practical difficulties in conventional RO desalination process such as fouling, scaling, chemical treatment and high power consumption. In addition, FO process gives higher throughput with minimal environmental impact including minimal chemical additives and rejection of waste stream. Forward Osmosis (FO) process has the potential to increase the availability of freshwater both in coastal areas with limited resources and in areas where seawater, salinized groundwater and municipal wastewater are available. The novelty of FO process lies in using natural osmosis as a driving force for water to move across a semi-pearmeable membrane from a solution of low osmotic pressure (seawater) to a solution of high osmotic pressure (DS). The choice of draw solution (DS) has a large impact on the performance and viability of the FO process. The draw solutes should be able to generate high osmotic pressures and be completely regenerated using simple and energy efficient techniques.

This study presents a novel FO process for producing irrigation water using thermolytic draw solution. The main energy intensive stage in FO process is the separation of draw solute from the freshwater. In this research, the concept of employing liquefied gas compounds as a draw agent has been investigated among 137 gaseous compounds by determining their high solubility in water. In this process a liquefied gas as DS with high solubility in water resulting high osmotic pressure has been used. The DS could be separated from water by changing the operating temperature and or pressure allowing for an efficient and complete removal of the DS. The modified FO process operates at low hydraulic pressure
Engineering of High Performance Solar Cells for Harsh Desert Environment Applications
Authors: Tabet Nouar , Aissa Brahim , Abdallah Amir , Kivambe Maulid , Cattin Jean , Haschke Jan , Seif Johannes P. , Tomasi Andrea , De Wolf Stefaan , Ballif Christophe
Published: July 2019

Two major environmental factors affect drastically the performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels in the Gulf region, namely the dust accumulation (soiling) and the temperature-induced voltage decrease leading to a power loss. During the last years, intensive R&D activity has been conducted both by the industry and academia to address these major issues. However, recent results obtained in laboratory show that the power loss induced by an increase of the temperature of the panel from 200C to 750C can be reduced by 250% in the case of heterojunction silicon cells as compared to conventional homojunction silicon technology. Consequently, the temperature coefficient of the conversion efficiency represents an important figure of merit for the energy yield of a given photovoltaic technology, especially if planned to operate in Gulf region.

In this contribution, we will focus on reviewing current strategies addressing temperature effects on PV panels performance. More specifically, we analyze the dependence of the key characteristics of the solar cells with respect to the temperature and minority carrier injection level, and how various layers making the structure of the device can be engineered in order to maximize the resistance of the cell to temperature degradation.
Performance Analysis of Multiphase High Power Open End Drives Fed from Dual Matrix Converter
Authors: Rahman Khaliqur , Iqbal Atif , Al-Emadi Nasir , Al-Ammari Rashid
Published: July 2019

In this paper an open ended seven phase stator winding drive is considered for analysis that is to be fed from matrix converter controlled by space vector pulse width modulation scheme. Open-end winding variable speed drives with dual matrix converter supply have been extensively investigated for various applications in the past, based on a three-phase machine configuration. This topology is relatively simple for practical realization. It offers a higher number of switching states without the need for capacitor voltage balancing algorithms, when compared to the equivalent standard multi-level converter in single sided supply mode. This paper considers a seven-phase open-end winding topology. A relatively simple SVM algorithm, based on already developed seven-phase two level drive SVM method, is used for operation of both converters. The proposed modulation technique is straight forward to implement and is capable of generating pure sinusoidal output voltages, without any low-order harmonic components. The method offers superior harmonic performance when compared to seven-phase topology in single-sided supply mode. The developed scheme is verified by simulation, using a seven phase induction machine operated under V/f control. The proposed drive topology find application in high power ac drives such as in oil & gas industries, electric/hybrid electric vehicles, ship propulsion, traction etc. The simulation results support the proposed idea.
A Qualitative Study to Develop a New Tool for Handover in the Emergency Department
Authors: Alsheikhly Ahmed Subhy Humadi
Published: July 2019

الأهداف: تحدد هذه الدراسة أفضل ممارسة لتسليم المناوبة طبية وتقدم أداة جديدة تستخدم لتسليم المسائل السريرية والتشغيلية في نهاية جميع التحولات والمناوبات في أقسام الطوارئ. الأساليب: تم ومراجعة استعراض التراث الطبي لهذا الموضوع. وبعد المقابلات شبه المنظمة والملاحظات لتسليم المناوبات. مع المشاركين من المقيمين والأخصائيين والاستشاريين و كبار الممرضات. تم التوصل الى عملية موحدة لتسليم المناوبة الطبية في قسم الطوارئ للتعرف على أفضل الممارسات المتفق عليها ، واشتقاق أداة لتصنيف المعلومات في الأقسام ذات الصلة. النتائج:المقابلات والاستطلاع حددت مجموعة متنوعة من العجز الحالي المتصورة في التسليم بما في ذلك الافتقار إلى الممارسة الموحدّة والهيكلية وقدم المشاركون أمثلة سلبية للتسليم التي أدت إلى أحداث ضارة على المرضى والعناية الطبية السريرية وشملت هذه التأخير في التحقيقات والعلاج للمرضى الذين تم تسليمهم مع معلومات موجزة أو غير دقيقة واستخدمت ردود الخبراء للتوصل إلى توحيد ‘أفضل ممارسات للمحتوى لتسليم المناوبة. الاستنتاجات وضعت أداة بسيطة لتوفير الأساس لتسليم المناوبة الطبية لأقسام ألطوارئ الذي يتضمن المعلومات السريرية والتشغيلية اللازمة لكفاءة ومنظمة للتحول المقبل.

Objectives

This study identifies best practice for shift handover and introduces a new tool used to handover clinical and operational issues at the end of all shifts in the emergency department (ED).

Methods

Literature review, semi-structured interviews and observations of handover were used to develop a standardized process for handover. Participants were ED residents, specialists, consultants and senior nurses. Interviews were used to identify agreed best practice and derive a tool to classify the information into relevant sections.

Results

Interviews identified a variety of perceived current deficits in handover including a lack of standardized practice and structure. Participants provided examples of poor handover that were thought to have led to adverse events; these included delay in investigations and treatment for patients who were handed over with brief or inaccurate information. There was wide variation in the understanding of the meaning and purpose of shift handover, and differences were apparent according to the level of experience the individuals interviewed. The experts’ responses were used to reach a unifying ‘best practice’ for the content of handover.

Conclusions

A simple tool was developed to provide the basis for medical shift handover, which includes clinical and operational information necessary for efficiency and organization of the next shift.
Examining Climatic Influence on the Respiratory Health of Qatar Residents: A Comparative Analysis between Winter and Summer Months
Authors: Critchley Kim Arlene , Teather Kevin L , Alamgir Asma , Dsouza Nicola , Jabonete Lea
Published: July 2019

A variety of climatic factors are known to influence respiratory health, usually through their impact on air quality. High temperatures, for example, are often associated with an increase in ground levels of ozone, which in turn negatively impact respiratory function (Thurston and Ito 1999; WHO 2000). In New York City, high temperatures were correlated with increased hospital admissions for both chronic airway obstruction and asthma (as well as some cardiovascular problems) (Lin et al. 2009). Humidity levels are often positively correlated with allergenic spores (e.g., Hasnain et al. 2012) and other particulates (e.g., Kulshrestha et al. 2012) and thus can trigger asthmatic attacks or other forms of respiratory distress. More recently, investigators have begun to examine the relationship between dust-sand storms and respiratory health. For example, Waness et al. (2011) cited evidence suggesting that exposure to dust-sand storms in the Middle East may contribute to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and silicosis. In this study, we conducted a detailed correlational analysis between various climatic variables, the density of airborne particulate matter, and the incidence of hospital admissions related to respiratory problems.Inhalation of air particulates may result in serious health problems, most notably with the respiratory system. Due to a variety of factors (traffic, construction, weather patterns), the air in Doha is of poor quality and is significantly over targets for PM2.5 and PM10 (WHO, 2014 rankings). We examined the levels of particulate matter to determine if there was a daily or weekly pattern. We then compared the number of air particulates in the summer and winter and attempted to determine if small (0.5–2.5 mg/l) or large (>2.5 mg) particulate matter was related to weather patterns and resulted in increased use of the nebulizer at a local clinic. We found that particle number (both small and large) was highest around 6 am and lowest around 12 pm, a pattern that didn't change between months. The number of large and small particles was generally lower on Friday when human activity was lowest. The temperature decreased in winter while humidity increased; wind speed remained relatively constant. Data suggest that nebulizer use was higher in the winter and lower in the summer although the reasons for this are speculative. There was no relationship found between the number of people using the nebulizer and the number of air particles.
The Miniaturization of Reverse Addition-fragmentation atom Transfer Living Polymerizations — the Democratization of RAFT
Authors: Liberski Albert Ryszard
Published: July 2019

Reverse addition-fragmentation atom transfer (RAFT) living polymerization, a popular means of preparing coplymers of methacrylate and methyl methacrylate with narrowly defined size distributions and architectures, can readily be performed in sub-mililiter quantities in the absence of stirring, yielding biocompatible materials with excellent yields and low PDI values, and a linear molecular weight response curve extending to above 180,000 g·mol–1. When multiple studies were done involving the variation on the RAFT/monomer ratio under a variety of concentrations, the corresponding molecular weights of the materials exhibited a linear response. Furthermore, in comparing the resulting material to polymers prepared using more classical free-radical polymerization techniques, the miniaturized RAFT-mediated batches showed similar biocompatibility. These facile reaction conditions offer the prospect of preparing well defined polymeric systems in parallel with minimal equipment investment, without compromising the quality of the final product. The resulting polymers were then inkjet printed onto an agarose-coated glass slide, and then tested for bioactivity.
A Five-Year Time Trend Analysis of Road Traffic Injuries [Rtis] and Deaths among Infants and Toddlers in Qatar
Authors: Malik Shahnaz
Published: July 2019

Background

Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) are the leading cause of death in Qatar1, but the epidemiology of these injuries in the infant (0–1 years) and toddler (2–4 years) [IAT] population has not been reported. This study aimed to document and analyze the epidemiology of RTIs in IATs of Qatar and make recommendations for targeted and age-specific recommendations to improve road safety for this population.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of data on child RTIs and RTI deaths admitted to the Hamad Medical Corporation [HMC] Trauma Center or Mortuary in Doha, Qatar, from 2008–2014, was conducted. Temporal trends in the nature of RTI's and RTI deaths, road user types and mortality rates were calculated and analyzed for the years that age-group population size was available.

Results

There were 189 severe RTIs and 15 RTI deaths during the study period. Males made up 80% of the injured and 60% of fatalities. The average age of the injured was 3 years and for fatalities was 2.8 years. Pedestrians [53%] and unrestrained passengers [43%] made up the majority of the injured. There have been steady declines in severe RTI and RTI death rates from 2008 to 2012 [25.9 to 22.2 RTIs per 100,000 and 0.9 to 4.0 RTI deaths per 100,000], but these rates are still two times higher than those for IAT in other high-income countries [HICs] like the United States and Germany2.

Conclusions

RTIs and RTI death rates in IAT in Qatar have been declining but proven programs for improved safety of child pedestrians and passengers must be implemented if it is to approximate those in other HICs. This includes programs around child restraint use and improving pedestrian environments and practices/supervision for IAT.
Nutritional and Genetic Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Terranegra Annalisa , Dogliotti Elena , Brasacchio Caterina , Conti Costanza , Lazzaroni Monica , Mingione Alessandra , Pivari Francesca , Barlassina Cristina , Cusi Daniele , Soldati Laura
Published: July 2019

A population of 503 adult Caucasians was recruited to evaluate the effect of diet on cardiovascular risk factors and its interaction with the genetic background. Nutritional data were collected by 24h recalls and Mediterranean diet adherence was investigated by QuADM-15 questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference), lipid profile, serum glucose, electrolytes, homocysteine and hpCRP were measured. The genome-wide tag-SNPs analysis was performed by Illumina 200K SNPs array, enriched by the imputation analysis. The Gene*Environment (G*E) analysis evaluated candidate genes and SNPs for the phenotypes HDL and LDL, and the interaction with diet (omnivores vs. vegetarians) and anthocyanins intake.

The dietary habit analysis identified 120 vegetarians and 374 omnivores. The distribution of macronutrients showed, as expected, a higher intake of animal proteins, saturated fatty acids and lower fiber intake in the omnivores. The consumption of anthocyanins and polyphenols was low in the entire population. Correlations were found between diet habits (omnivores vs vegetarians) and BMI (p
Autosomal Dominant Hypocalcemia due to a Truncation in the C-Tail of the Calcium-Sensing Receptor
Authors: Terranegra Annalisa , Mingione Alessandra , Brasacchio Caterina , Maruca Katia , Capelli Silvia , Dogliotti Elena , Pivari Francesca , Cisternino Mariangela , Mora Stefano , Soldati Laura
Published: July 2019

Background

Autosomal Dominant Hypocalcemia (ADH) is an endocrine disorder due to activating mutations of the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) gene that encodes for a plasma membrane G protein-coupled receptor. This protein plays a central role in maintaining calcium homeostasis. ADH is characterized by hypocalcemia and hypercalciuria with inappropriately low serum concentration of parathyroid hormone (PTH). We report on a young boy who presented hypocalcemia with hypercalciuria, hyperphosphatemia and low serum concentration of PTH.

Materials and Methods

Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood of a pediatric patient with ADH. Molecular screening of the CASR coding sequence was performed by sequence analysis with an ABI PRISM® 3100 Avant Genetic Analyzer. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed directly on CASR wild type cDNA, cloned in pCR3.1 plasmid to obtain CASR mutant plasmid. Functional properties of mutant receptor were studied in transiently transfected HEK-293 cells with the wild-type or mutated CASR. The ERK phosphorylation levels were measured by western blot analysis.

Results

We detected a novel heterozygous deletion of a cytosine (c.2682delC) causing a frameshift and a premature stop codon resulting in a truncation of the CaSR's C-tail. HEK-293 cells transfection with CASR Mutant increased significantly (P = 0.02) p-ERK levels by 3.8 fold versus CASR wild type.

Conclusion

We identified a novel CASR gene mutation in a young boy with ADH. Although the mutation leads to a truncation of the protein, it leads to a constitutive gain-of-function of the receptor. This finding is in line with the clinical phenotype observed in our patient.
An Experimental Approach for Studying the Effects of Environmental Factors on Brain Circulation
Authors: El-Sabban Farouk Mohamed Fathy
Published: July 2019

The main function of the circulatory system is to circulate blood in vessels. Formation of blood clots adversely affects blood flow and may cause stoppage if a vessel is blocked. Damage to brain cells results when blood flow stops – as there would be no oxygen or glucose delivered. Damage to brain cells is irreversible – thus, it is crucial that brain circulation would be intact and normally-functioning. Experimental work involved several studies in which a well-established model for induction of blood clots in brain vessels in mice was utilized. The technique involves performing a microsurgery on anesthetized mice to expose the brain surface and the removal of the dura mater to expose blood micro-vessels. Mice are warmed to 37°C and the exposed brain is irrigated with warmed (37°C) and circulated artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Experimental mice would be placed on the stage of a fluorescent microscope with an attached camera and a TV monitor and VCR for observations to be made and recorded. Controlled experimental conditions allowed for exact timing of the appearance of the first observed blood clot and the time for total block of blood flow in arteries and veins. A trained observer uses 4 stop watches to times for the first appearance of platelet aggregation and for flow stop. The times recorded by the observer are double-checked through replaying of recorded video tapes. Environmental and nutritional influences on brain circulation were of interest - which included: dehydration by water deprivation, exposure to high temperature, and exposure to lead. Also of interest, was to test drugs and agents that would alleviate the adverse effects of these detrimental factors. Treatments with drugs such as aspirin and with a medicinal plant such as garlic were studied in this effect. Collectively, data of these studies elucidated that dehydration, high temperature and lead had adverse effects on blood clotting processes, while treatments with aspirin and garlic, among others, were beneficial. This presentation involves making recommendations for body hydration and protection from high environmental temperature, particularly for those who are susceptible, such as children, the elderly and outdoor workers. This presentation also urges for utilizing research outcomes and collaboration among concerned entities about human health for best benefits to health and to the society in the long run.
The Role of C-Terminus Cytosolic Domain in the Mechanism of ORAI1 Trafficking and Internalization During Oocyte Maturation
Authors: Dib Maya , Hodeify Rawad , Machaca Khaled
Published: July 2019

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is a ubiquitous Ca2+ influx pathway essential for many physiological functions and failure to maintain normal calcium homeostasis is one of the leading causes of cellular dysfunction in a wide variety of pathological conditions. Orai1, a key regulator of SOCE, constitutively recycles at steady state in the frog oocyte and internalizes into intracellular vesicular compartments during meiosis, leading to inactivation of SOCE. Such mechanism provides proper regulation of Ca2+ signaling in preparation for fertilization and embryonic development. Previous data showed a role for Orai1 C-terminus in its internalization during meiosis. However, the minimal region required for Orai1 internalization at steady state and during meiosis is not known.

We began the study of the molecular determinants of Orai1 trafficking in Xenopus oocytes by comparing the localization of multiple GFP-Orai1 C-terminal mutants 1-266, 1-275, and 1-285 intracellularly. Orai1 mutants 1-275 and 1-285 were both internalized during meiosis behaving similarly to WT, however, Orai1 1-266 was significantly enriched at the plasma membrane and did not internalize during oocyte maturation. To further map the region required for Orai1 internalization, we will generate specific mutants in the region 267-275 and evaluate the contribution of these signals in Orai1 internalization during meiosis. Mutants showing defect in internalization will be tested for phenotype rescue by co-injecting Orai1 with different potential candidates. These proteins include: 1) Rab5, a member of Rab family of GTPases has been shown to play a role as a regulator of intracellular trafficking during endocytosis. Previous data from our group has shown that Rab5 colocalizes with Orai1 in both oocytes and eggs. 2) Caveolin-1, a coat protein mediating caveolin-dependent endocytosis. 3) Flotilin-1, a membrane-associated protein involved in flotilin-dependent endocytosis.

As a second step in exploring the molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying Orai1 internalization during meiosis, we will identify Orai1 associated proteins by co-immunoprecipitation of Orai1 complexes followed by quantitative proteomic analysis using dimethyl labeling coupled with tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Candidates that are enriched in wild-type Orai1 immunoprecipitation but missing in internalization-deficient Orai1 mutants are suggested to play role in Orai1 endocytosis.

In conclusion, our results here suggest that residues 266–275 at C-terminus of Orai1 are essential for its internalization during meiosis. Using specific mutant(s) within this region, we will test the rescue of mutant(s) phenotype with potential candidates, and by quantitative proteomic analysis identify proteins associated with Orai1 and potentially important in its internalization.
Designing Customized Peptide-Linkers to Functionalize Scaffolds and Nanoparticles for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Navaneethakrishnan , Tseng Yuan-Tsan , Yacoub Magdi
Published: July 2019

Introduction and Objectives

Engineering living tissues or organs critically depends on the use of scaffolds to attract, house and instruct host cells. To achieve this, the scaffolds need to be functionalised using different strategies. One of these strategies relies on the use designer peptides to decorate scaffolds. Peptide linkers have shown increasing importance in the production of bioactive materials for various biological applications. In particular, they act as natural linkers for merging multiple functional domains and for attaching active motifs on the surface to induce cells and to enhance the function of biomaterials. However, intense structural customization of the linkers is required prior to examine them under experimental conditions for challenging tissue engineering applications such as heart valve repair. Thus, we here apply computer-aided molecular design to construct the linkers including essential properties such as multiple motif presentations and binding on scaffolds/nanoparticles.

Materials and Methods

The 3D structures of known functional motif (collagen and fibronectin inducing) with linkers were used in the interactive molecular dynamics simulations, which were carried out under physiological conditions after parameterization of all atomic properties. The simulations are to solve Newton equation of motion for 100 nanoseconds at the parallel super computer using algorithms of Groningen machine for chemical simulations. The trajectories of the simulations were collected at regular interval for analysing molecular behaviours, molecular interactions and structural properties of the linkers.

Results

Our recent modeling shows that the linkers based on valine and alanine can be used for merging dual bioactive motifs, which enhance the stimulation of collagen and fibronectin in human adipose derived stem cells under experimental conditions. By further applying the modeling strategy, here, we are developing linkers in specific conformations with surface attachment property. The computer aided-design used to analyse the structural role of key residues such as proline, serine, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, lysine and cysteine in different lengths with several combinations to probe favourable linkers. The structural rigidity and self-assembly are the major molecular features that were used appropriately to create the efficient linkers for decoration and functionalization of biomaterials.

Conclusion

The design of customized linkers may offer many advantages for the production intelligent biomaterials with multi-functionality, enhanced bioactivity and to target specific sites/shapes for tissue engineering applications.
Design an Expert System for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Badi Rasha
Published: July 2019

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a common worldwide infection and a medical and social problem causing high mortality and morbidity, especially in developing countries. An expert system for diagnosis of this disease was designed based on expert's knowledge for providing decision support platform to assist fresh graduator (inexperienced) physicians, and other healthcare practitioners to arrive the final diagnosis of TB more quickly and efficie ntly especially in rural areas. Information about pulmonary tuberculosis and its symptoms and treatment from doctor who are specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis were collected.

The system was built using C sharp language and artificial intelligence based expert system in coordinated manner help in the diagnosis of tuberculosis disease and assistance in giving the necessary treatment In addition to giving advice to patients.
Applying a Novel Smart Insole System that Reduces Re-Ulceration Risk among Diabetics with Peripheral Neuropathy: Do Users Adhere and Comply?
Authors: Ron Eyal , Razjouyan Javad , Najafi Bijan , Armstrong David
Published: July 2019

Background & Aim: People with diabetes carry a 25% lifetime risk of foot ulceration. It is well-established that high plantar pressures increase the risk of developing foot ulcers, and that managing peak pressure is an important strategy in reducing such risk. This study tested a novel smart insole system designed to reduce ulceration risk by alerting patients using a smartwatch when their plantar pressure was too high. The device was tested for degree of adherence, compliance, and successful offloading responses among users. Outcomes of users triggering many alerts were compared to those triggering few alerts to see if alert frequency affected adherence and compliance to a novel mobile health device. Method: Participants with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and a history of foot ulcers were instructed to wear a smart insole system. Pressure sensors inside the insole were placed in strategic areas where foot ulceration risk has been shown to be high. The sensors were wirelessly connected to a smartwatch through a transmitter. The smartwatch alerted participants when plantar pressure exceeded 50 mmHg over 95% of a moving 15 minute window. Adherence, defined as the number of hours the device was worn, was determined with sensor data and via questionnaires. A successful response to an alert was recorded when patient-initiated offloading occurred within 20 minutes. The length of time an alert lasted (measured as the median time between alert onset and successful offloading) served as a measure of compliance. Results: Participants who increased adherence over time tended to have more alerts (0.82 ±  0.31 alerts/hr) than those who did not improve (0.36 ±  0.46 alerts/hr, p =  0.09). Users receiving a high number of alerts (HA) began with similar levels of successful response to those receiving a low number of alerts (LA), but the HA group successfully offloaded significantly more often than the LA group by the last segment of the study (55.0 ±  6.6% vs. 16.6 ±  11.9%, p <  0.01). Median alert durations increased for LA relative to HA (p =  0.10). Participants tended to overestimate their adherence compared to objective sensor measurements (7.60 ±  2.50 hours/day vs. 5.38 ±  3.43 hours/day, p =  0.10). Conclusion: The results of this study suggests that there appears be to a minimum number of alerts that a user must experience (1 alert every 2 hours of wear time) to maintain adherence and successful response to alerts over time. Above this level, median alert durations decrease, user adherence improves, and successful response rates increase. This suggests that within the range of alerts typically received by someone wearing a smart insole system, relatively more alerts may be preferred, and increasing the number of alerts a user receives by lowering the pressure threshold may be a viable path to maintaining adherence. In addition, self-reported adherence measures may exaggerate usage of novel mobile health devices.
A Centralized System Approach to Indoor Navigation for the Visually Impaired
Authors: Al-Omary Alauddin Yousif , Al-Rizzo Hussain M. , AlSabagh Haider M.
Published: July 2019

People who are Blind or Visually Impaired (BVI) have one goal in common: navigate through unfamiliar indoor environments without the intervention of a human guide. The number of blind people in the world is not accurately known at the present, however, based on the 2010 Global Data on Visual Impairments, World Health Organization, approximately 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide: 39 million are blind and 246 have low vision, 90% in developing countries, with 82% of blind people aged 50 and above. Available extrapolated statistics about blindness in some countries in the Middle East show ∼102,618 in Iraq, ∼5,358 in Gaza strip, ∼22,692 in Jordan, ∼9,129 in Kuwait, ∼104,321 in Saudi Arabia, and ∼10,207 in the United Arab Emirates. These statistics reveal the importance of developing a useful, accurate, and easy to use navigation system to help this large population of disabled people in their everyday lives. Various commercial products are available to navigate BVI people in outdoor environments based on the Global Positioning System (GPS) where the receiver must has a clear view of the sky. Indoor geo-location, on the other hand, is much more challenging because objects surrounding the user can block or interfere with the GPS signal.

In this paper, we present a centralized wireless indoor navigation system to aid the BVI. The system is designed not only to accurately locate, track, and navigate the user, but to also find the safest travel path and easily communicate with the BVI. A centralized approach is adopted because of the lack of research in this area. Some proposed navigation systems require users to inconveniently carry heavy navigation devices; some require administrators to install a complex network of sensors throughout a building; and others are simply impractical in practice. The system consists of four major components: 1) Wireless Positioning Subsystem, 2) Visual Indoor Modeling Interface, 3) Guidance and Navigation Subsystem, and 4) Path-Finding Subsystem. The system is designed not only to accurately locate, track, and navigate the user, but to also find the safest travel path and easily communicate with the BVI.

A significant part of the navigation system is the virtual modeling of the building and the design of the path-finding algorithms, which will be the main focus of this research. Ultimately, the proposed system provides the design and building blocks for a fully functional package that can be used to build a complete centralized indoor navigation system, from creating the virtual models for buildings to tracking and interacting with BVI users over the network.
Discovering the Truth on the Web Data: One Facet of Data Forensics
Authors: Lamine Ba Mouhamadou , Berti-Equille Laure , Hammady Hossam M.
Published: July 2019

Data Forensics with Analytics, or DAFNA for short, is an ambitious project initiated by the Data Analytics Research Group in Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University. It main goal is to provide effective algorithms and tools for determining the veracity of structured information when they originate from multiple sources. The ability to efficiently estimate the veracity of data, along with the reliability level of the information sources, is a challenging problem with many real-world use cases (e.g., data fusion, social data analytics, rumour detection, etc.) in which users rely on a semi-automated data extraction and integration process in order to consume high quality information for personal or business purposes. DAFNA's vision is to provide a suite of tools for Data Forensics and investigate various research topics such as fact-checking and truth discovery and their practical applicability. We will present our ongoing development (dafna.qcri.org) on extensively comparing the state-of-the-art truth discovery algorithms, releasing a new system and the first REST API for truth discovery, and designing a novel hybrid truth discovery approach using active ensembling. Finally, we will briefly present real-world applications of truth discovery from Web data.

Efficient Truth Discovery. Truth discovery is a hard problem to deal with since there is no a priori knowledge about the veracity of provided information and the reliability level of online sources. This raises many questions about a thorough understanding of the state-of-the-art truth discovery algorithms and their applicability for actionable truth discovery. A new truth discovery approach is needed and it should be rather comprehensible and domain-independent. In addition, it should take advantage of the benefits of existing solutions, while being built on realistic assumptions for an easy use in real-world applications. In this context, we propose an approach that deals with open truth discovery challenges and consists of the following contributions: (i) The thorough comparative study of existing truth discovery algorithms; (ii) The design and release of the first online truth discovery system and the first REST API for truth discovery available at dafna.qcri.org; (iii) An hybrid truth discovery method using active ensembling; and (iv) An application to query answering related to Qatar where the veracity of information provided by multiple Web sources is estimated.
Demystifying Islamic Law
Authors: Kutty Faisal
Published: July 2019

Those teaching in the area of “Islamic law” (however imprecise that term is) can appreciate the difficulty in conveying information on sources and major principles. People unfamiliar with the Arabic language have enough struggles with the new lingo and could benefit from an overview of the main sources, principles and methodologies in pictorial form. This flowchart is a very basic representation or big picture of “Islamic law.” It is best viewed as a digital document where you can adjust the size. It is only an attempt to give some perspective to the introductory student in this area, but nevertheless a caveat is in order at the outset. Any endeavor that attempts to provide a simple overview of a complex system always runs the risk of oversimplification. Clearly, it is an impossible task to set out detailed discussions of the Islamic system's principles, institutions and their interactions and permutations in such a static fashion. For a more detailed and nuanced explanation of most of what is set out on the flowchart, you may wish to download and read Part 5 of Faisal Kutty, The Myth and Reality of Shari'a Courts in Canada: A Delayed Opportunity for the Indigenization of Islamic Legal Rulings, 7 U. St. Thomas Law Journal 559 (2010), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract = 1749046. The idea is to demystify Islamic law and allow for people to see the involvment of human agency in the process with the objective of making it easier to reform Islamic rulings to address contemporary realities and challenges.
The Qatari Validation of the Connors' Adult ADHD Rating Scales
Authors: Farok Noor Lina
Published: July 2019

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental neurocognitive psychiatric disorder that is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that affects on children and adults. This study aims at validating one of the worlds' most commonly used self-report measure of ADHD in adults; the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales (2002). The English version was translated, back translated, and then administered to 600 college students. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability was examined. The construct validity was measured by means of confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance across gender and age categories will be tested. It is important to diagnose individuals with ADHD because although they are relatively leading normal lives, having families and jobs, they confront a wide range of problems in nearly all aspects of life due to this disorder.
The Role of Women Artists in Qatar and the Representation of their Work in Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
Authors: Ramadan Lina Nabih
Published: July 2019

Little research has been done to trace back and document the role of women artists from the Arabian Gulf countries in the local and international art scene. This could be justified due to the fact that women in the recent past were not accepted in public spheres. However, even after the emergence of modernism in most of the Gulf countries, the cultural sector remains somehow gendered where women artists have to self-censor their ideas and work in order to be accepted in the art scene. As a result, their work remain absent or sometimes represented in a way that succumbs to institutional and curatorial decisions. This takes away so much creativity of their work and also the opportunity of engaging the public around topics that reflect women's perspective on culture and heritage. There are many examples about work done by women artists from this region that ended up either derived from its original messages when curate or even shut down entirely when tried to reimagine the idea of women and traditions in the Gulf. This leads many women artists such as Shirin Neshat and Sophia Al Maria for example to turn their work to western art institutions where their work is sold and appreciated by wider audience. It's important to document the complexities, uniqueness and differences of the backgrounds of these women artists and their work in a time where the Gulf countries such as Qatar and Dubai for example, are investing so much in their cultural sectors as part of building their national vision. The history and current work by women artists from this region should not be lost within the process of development and that's what the art scene in Qatar is challenging. The rapid investment of Qatar on arts and culture has put the country under international spotlight especially when a Muslim conservative country hands its heritage sector to be overseen by a female figure, her highness Sheikha Al Mayassa, the sister of the current Emir and the daughter of the country's role model for women, Sheikha Mozah Almissned. Purchasing one of the most expensive paintings in the world entitled When will you Marry? by Paul Gauguin, and dedicating recent art spaces to solo exhibitions by women artists from the region, tells us so much about Al Mayassa's future vision in regards of the empowerment of women artists in Qatar. Yet, multiple communities in Qatar are resistant to such change, fearing that such art impose a threat that would demolish the Arab and Muslim identity from their culture. In my research, I will investigate the reason behind this gender gap, the lack of public discussions and studies on audience reception, and finally highlight what women's art in this region wants to communicate and offer to its multiple communities. As a case study, my paper will document and investigate the role of women artists as socio-political activists in the Arab and Islamic world, particularly in Qatar, and the representation of their work exhibited at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Distribution and feeding habitat characterization of whale sharks Rhincodon typus in the Northern Mexican Caribbean
Authors: Cárdenas-Palomo Natalí , Herrera-Silveria J. , Reyes-Mendoza O. , Trujillo-Córdova J. , Mimila-Herrera E. , Velázquez-Abunader Iván
Published: July 2019

Background The conservation of whale sharks, like other endangered species, requires, among others factors, an understanding of the effects that variability in habitat have on long-term species viability. In the Mexican Northern Caribbean, a Habitat Monitoring Program for the whale shark was established in 2005 to describe the spatio-temporal variability of environmental data and whale shark distribution. Approach From 2005–2014, when whale sharks were present in the region (May to September), monthly trips were made to record whale shark sightings and hydrological data (sea surface temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen). Water samples were collected to determine nutrients (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, silicates and phosphates), as well as chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and zooplankton biomass. We compared the environmental variables at sites with and without whale sharks present. Maps of zooplankton biomass were produced for each year in order to explore their relationship with the distribution and abundance of whale sharks. Results Areas with high whale shark abundance have been identified inside the study region. At these sites the whale shark feeds, taking advantage of the abundance of zooplankton, as a result of two events: the intensity of the Yucatan upwelling and the presence of dense masses of fish eggs. The whale shark aggregation areas influenced by the upwelling were characterized by high Chl-a concentrations (mean±SE 0.9±0.4 mg/m3), high nutrients and mixed zooplankton in which several groups were present (usually copepods were the most abundant group). In the whale shark aggregation area called “Afuera”, the zooplankton samples were dominated by fish eggs. This area registered significantly higher zooplankton biomass (mean±SE 3356.1±1960.8 mg/m3) in comparison with that recorded in upwelling areas (mean±SE 103.5±57.2 mg/m3). Zooplankton biomass was the most influential environmental variable to determine whale shark abundance, supporting the close relationship between this species and their food availability. Spatio-temporal changes in distribution and abundance of whale sharks have been recorded in the region, as well as changes in their food availability. Conclusions The whale shark uses selected areas within the Mexican Caribbean. These areas have different hydrobiological characteristics. Changes in distribution and abundance of whale sharks inside the study area may make it more difficult to implement suitable management strategies. We need more data to understand the reason for these changes, for example increased knowledge about the ocean circulation patterns at this site and other factors that may influence and characterize spawning inside the aggregation area. The continuity of hydrobiological monitoring is key to ensure the integrity of this critical habitat.