bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in Qatar
Authors: Badawi Alaa
Published: November 2013

Qatar has a high burden of chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Low serum vitamin D levels have been implicated in the development and progression of a range of these chronic conditions. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the general population of Qatar has still not been investigated. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of published studies documenting the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the Qatari population. A search strategy was developed for online databases and bibliographies of the included studies were further searched for additional reports. Search terms used were QATAR and VITAMIN D. Studies reporting the serum levels of vitamin D in several Qatari subpopulations were identified. Weighted-average vitamin D serum levels and prevalence of low vitamin D status (<75 nmol/L) were calculated. Subgroup analysis was carried out by age. The quality of each study was evaluated according to four criteria: national representativeness, representation of males and females, the sample size, and the sampling protocol. A total of 16 relevant publications were identified, and 8 of these (reporting from 7 unique studies) met our inclusion and exclusion criteria with a total number of 1,699 Qatari subjects. The pooled sample size weighted-average vitamin D concentration (±SD) was 45.3±14.3 nmol/L (95% CI: 44.6-46.0; range 29.2-66.9 nmol/L). The weighted-average prevalence of low vitamin D status was 90.4% (95% CI: 90.1-91.0; range 83%-91%). Age was inversely correlated with vitamin D levels and directly with its insufficiency/deficiency prevalence. There have only been a few studies on the prevalence of low vitamin D in Qatar a very high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in Qatar that increases with age has been suggested. The present report underlines the need to develop a nationally representative study to further evaluate vitamin D status in Qatar. Given the growing evidence of the role of vitamin D in chronic disease, this study could help develop public health strategies for disease prevention in Qatar.
Classification of newborn EEG signals using adaptive time-frequency distributions
Authors: Khan Nabeel
Published: November 2013

Background: EEG signal are widely used for detecting abnormalities such as seizures in newborn babies. EEG signals have non-stationary characteristic, therefore time frequency distributions (TFDs) are a preferred tool for their analysis. The classification performance of most time-frequency (t-f) methods is restricted by the resolution limitation of TFDs. Objective: The main objective of this research is to propose a new time-frequency pattern recognition technique that improves the performance of earlier methods by defining a new high resolution data adaptive time-frequency distribution. Methods: The key steps of the proposed t-f pattern recognition scheme are 1. Transformation of an EEG signal in the t-f domain by using a high resolution TFD. 2. Estimation of the instantaneous frequency (IF) and instantaneous amplitude (IA) of signal components. 3. Extraction of statistical features such as mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis from the estimated IF and IA. 4. Training of a support vector machines using extracted features. The accurate estimation of the IF and IA of signal components is a key step of the proposed t-f pattern recognition technique. Estimation of the IF and IA of signal components depends on the ability of a TFD to resolve closely spaced signal component. In order to overcome the resolution limitation of existing TFDs, we define a new high resolution data adaptive TFD that adapts the direction of its smoothing kernel at each point in the t-f plane based on the direction of energy concentration in the t-f plane. The proposed adaptive TFD out performs other standard methods of t-f analysis in terms of its resolution and instantaneous frequency estimation capabilities. Results: The proposed t-f pattern recognition methodology is applied to detect seizure activity in newborn EEG signals. The classification performance of widely used TFDs such as the extended modified B-distribution, compact support kernel, spectrogram, and proposed adaptive TFD is compared using the leave-one out cross-validation technique. The proposed TFD outperforms other TFDs as well as earlier methods of seizure detection by achieving the total accuracy of 97.5%. Conclusions: A new time-frequency pattern recognition technique for the classification of EEG signals is presented. Results indicate that the performance of the time frequency pattern recognition techniques is sensitive to the resolution performance of TFDs as high resolution TFDs have achieved better classification results.
Hallmarks of regenerative medicine: Improved methods For reprogramming human fibroblasts using fluorescence activated cell sorting
Authors: Ahmad Faizzan
Published: November 2013

Current methods to derive induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from human dermal fibroblasts by viral infection rely on complex protocols. One major factor contributing to the time required to derive lines is the ability of researchers to identify fully reprogrammed unique candidate clones from a mixed cell population containing transformed or partially reprogrammed cells and fibroblasts at an early time point post infection. Failure to select high quality colonies early in the derivation process results in cell lines that require increased maintenance and unreliable experimental outcomes. Here, we describe an improved method for the derivation of iPSC lines using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate single cells expressing the combination of CD13NEGSSEA4POSTra-1-60POS cell surface markers between 7-10 days post infection. This technique prospectively isolates fully reprogrammed iPSCs, and depletes both parental and "contaminating" partially reprogrammed fibroblasts, substantially reducing the time and reagents required to generate iPSC lines. iPSC lines derived under this technology produced more unique and stable clones following retroviral infection than manual picking methods, expressed common markers of pluripotency at later passages, and possessed spontaneous differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo. FACS derivation produced iPSC lines had a normal karyotype and matched the parental DNA fingerprint. To demonstrate the suitability of FACS for high-throughput iPSC generation, we derived 228 individual iPSC lines from a variety of 76 tissue sources that ranged in diseases from Cardiovascular disorders, neurological disorders and diabetes using either integrating (retroviral) or non-integrating (Sendai virus) reprogramming vectors and performed extensive characterization on a subset of those lines. This demonstrates feasibility of creating highly pure iPSCs for cellular therapeutics, drug screening, and understanding human disease phenotypes.
Metabolomics profiling of dates subtypes
Authors: Diboun Ilhame
Published: November 2013

Dates form an important product of Qatari agriculture and further constitute an icon of the identity and heritage of the Arab world. Along many Arab countries, Qatar is engaging active research into studying the biology of dates with the view of improving the quality of the fruit both for commercial reasons as well as impact on the human health. As part of a major initiative of date biology research project at WCMC-Q, we aim to deploy metabolomics techniques to discover the molecular basis for the phenotypic diversity in date subtypes. In addition to natural variation, we also explore the effect of environment on date metabolome. To this end, we collected 63 samples that are both phenotypically and geographically diverse; including countries such as Qatar, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Djibouti, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Oman. Metabolomics data for these samples were obtained from two independent platforms. Combining data from both sources has the advantage of reducing noise while highlighting important common signals. Global analysis of identified metabolites was used to obtain a metabolic composition chart for the date fruit. Comparative analysis of metabolic profiles between subtypes exposed associations with phenotypic traits such as height, width and color with a marked environmental effect.
Apoptosis resistance in prostate cancer cells and cancer stem cells: Implications of pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules in neuroendocrine differentiation
Authors: AL-Muftah Mariam
Published: November 2013

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second leading cause of cancer related death in men in several countries and is the most common cancer in men in Qatar according to recent statistics of the years 2010 and 2011. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of PC progression is critical for developing novel therapies. Neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation of PC cells is an oncogenic process that has been reported as a mechanism contributing to hormone refractory PC progression. NE cells are found in most prostate adenocarcinoma that are significantly enriched as disease progresses, and are extremely resistant to apoptosis caused by androgen ablation therapy, therapeutic drugs or radiation. However, the mechanism of resistance to apoptosis of these cells is not clearly understood resulting in major impediment in PC treatments. The current study aims to initially identify the optimal conditions to induce NE phenotype in PC cells in vitro and to identify the molecules or pathways responsible for resistance to apoptosis in NE cells of prostate adenocarcinoma. Since NE cells are also quiescent as cancer stem cells (CSC), we investigated the relation between NE cells and CSC. Using the expression of NE-specific markers such as Chromogranin A and Neuron specific Enolase (NSE) an optimal method for the differentiation of PC cells to NE cells was identified and used to generate a repertoire of NE-induced PC cells for genome-wide analysis. Our analysis identified differential regulation of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic molecules in NE cells accounting for resistance to apoptosis. We also show that the NE repertoire is highly enriched in CSC as demonstrated by sphere formation method. The identification of key molecules involved in resistance to apoptosis is critical for the development of novel therapeutic drugs that can interfere with NE differentiation and thus PC progression.
Investigating the drivers of the hepatitis C virus epidemic in Egypt
Authors: Cuadros Diego
Published: November 2013

Background: Egypt has by far the highest national-level hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in the world, with more than 14% of the general population infected with the virus. The drivers of such epidemic are still not completely identified, with previous parenteral antischistosomal therapy (PAT) campaigns conducted throughout Egypt proposed as the major contributor of the high HCV prevalence. In an effort to clarify specific drivers of the HCV epidemic in Egypt, and to identify priority populations for HCV prevention interventions, we conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis and mapping of the spatial distribution of HCV infection across Egypt. Methods: We conducted statistical analysis of the world's largest cross-sectional study of HCV conducted by the Demographic and Health Survey in Egypt (EDHS) in 2008 including demographic, health, and HCV biomarker information for a sample of over 11,000 individuals aged 15-49 years. We also identified and compared spatial clusters with high numbers of HCV infections using Kulldorff spatial scan test. The test locates areas with higher numbers of HCV infections than expected under spatial randomness. For each identified cluster, a likelihood ratio test was computed. A P-value was determined through Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the statistical significance of each cluster. Results: The analysis of the EDHS data indicated that only 9.1% of the population aged 15-59 was exposed to PAT; from this fraction, 28.6% are infected with HCV. These values suggest that PAT might be responsible for only about 8% of the total HCV infections in Egypt. Moreover, ever had a blood transfusion, ever had a dental treatment, and ever had a surgery significantly increased the odds of testing positive for HCV by 54%, 45%, and 28%, respectively. Our results also indicated substantial geographical clustering of HCV infections in Egypt. We identified settings with high HCV prevalence distributed in six geographical clusters located at the interface between the governorates of Beni Suef and Minya, Faiyum, Dakahlia, Kafr el-Sheikh, Monufia, and Minya. Conclusion: The small fraction of the population with previous exposure to PAT suggests that other modes of transmission fueled the HCV epidemic, and could be playing an essential role in the current spread of the HCV infection in Egypt. Our study provides direct evidence for strong geographic clustering of HCV infection in Egypt and locates priority geographic areas for spatially targeted interventions.
Nebulized 5% or 3% hypertonic or 0.9% saline for treating acute bronchiolitis in infants
Authors: Al Ansari Khalid
Published: November 2013

Abstract Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of 5%, 3%, and 0.9% saline solution for treating acute bronchiolitis in the prehospital setting. Study design: This was a double-blind trial including consecutive infants aged <18 months treated in an urban urgent care setting. A total of 165 patients were randomized to receive nebulized 5%, 3%, or 0.9% (normal) saline with epinephrine every 4 hours. The primary efficacy outcome was bronchiolitis severity score improvement at 48 hours (c2 analysis). Scores and oxygen saturation immediately before and after each treatment were recorded to assess safety. Results: A total of 187 previously healthy infants (median age, 3.1 months) diagnosed with bronchiolitis were enrolled. Positivity for respiratory syncytial virus was similar in the 3 treatment groups (mean, 56%). At 48 hours, the mean severity score for the 5% saline group was 3.69 _ 1.09, and that for the 0.9% saline group was 4.12 _ 1.11 (P = .04; difference, 0.43, 95% confidence interval for the difference, 0.02-0.88). The mean severity score for the 3% saline group was intermediate at 4.00 _ 1.22. Revisit rates after discharge were similar in the 3 treatment groups. No adverse reactions or other safety concerns were identified. Conclusions: Nebulization with 5% hypertonic saline is safe, can be widely generalizable, and may be superior to current treatment for early outpatient treatment of bronchiolitis.
The utilization of a U.S. Assessment, the Oregon project, on Arabic speaking pre-school students who are blind or visually impaired
Authors: Heji Hayat
Published: November 2013

One reason why developmental delays and specific language disabilities are grossly under-identified outside of the U.S. is the absence of locally developed norm-referenced assessment tools for its multilingual and multicultural population (Ooi & Wong, 2012). As a result, there is a paucity of both quantitative and qualitative data on assessing developmental and language delays in different languages and cultural environments. Infancy and early childhood are crucial periods for the development of motor, cognitive, and socio-emotional skills. Many children fail to reach their developmental potential in these areas, affecting later academic achievement and adult life. (Grantham-McGregor, et al., 2007). This is further exacerbated for children with a disability; therefore it is of paramount importance to establish valid assessments and interventions in all developmental areas in order to reach their full potential (Unesco, 2012; World Health Organization, 2007). We utilized a quasi-experimental research design and a dynamic assessment (test-teach-retest) to facilitate the training and instruction using the diagnostic information to increase children's learning. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an adaptation of a U.S. early childhood developmental assessment tool for Arab speaking preschool children who are visually impaired or blind and living in the Middle East.
Beliefs and values influencing breast cancer screening practices of Arabic-speaking women in Qatar
Authors: Donnelly Tam Truong
Published: November 2013

Introduction: Similar to many countries in the world, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the State of Qatar and the incidence rate is rising. Previous findings indicate women in Qatar are often diagnosed with breast cancer at advanced stages and their awareness of breast cancer screening (BCS) services and participation rates in screening activities are low. Previous studies indicate the need to understand the many complex beliefs, values, and attitudes that influence Arabic women's health seeking behavior for the development of culturally-appropriate awareness and effective intervention strategies to address breast cancer in Qatar. This study investigates beliefs and attitudes about breast cancer and BCS activities in Qatar and how it relates to their screening practices. Methods: A multi-center, cross-sectional quantitative survey of 1,063 (87.5% response rate) female Qatari citizens and Qatari Arabic-speaking residents, 35 years of age or older, was conducted in Qatar from March 2011 to July 2011. Results: In addition to low levels of awareness and participation rates in BCS (13.9% of participants reported performing a monthly BSE, 31.3% had a CBE within the last 1-2 years, and 26.9% of participants 40 years of age or older had a mammogram done within the last 1-2 years), less than half of the women interviewed believed breast cancer can be prevented. The majority of women participants want to know if they have breast cancer and would make an appointment for a mammogram if their HCP suggested it. The main reasons for not planning BCS were fear and embarrassment. Other factors related to BCS practice indicate women with self-perceived good and excellent health, who believe cancer can be prevented, and do not believe cancer is due to God's punishment or bad luck, were more likely to practice BCS. Conclusion: A variety of channels (health care providers, media, breast cancer survivors, and religious leaders) should be utilized to create culturally-appropriate intervention programs to raise awareness of breast cancer, BCS, and the benefits of early detection of breast cancer to help reduce mortality rates amongst Arabic-speaking women living in the State of Qatar. Awareness campaigns must emphasize that cancer can be prevented and treated if detected in its early stages. In addition, including religiously and culturally appropriate messages/teachings as part of awareness campaigns is important components to sustaining intervention strategies that address breast cancer amongst Arabic-speaking Muslim women.
HIV sero-discordancy can be predictive of HIV infectiousness in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Chemaitelly Hiam
Published: November 2013

Introduction: The majority of the population in reproductive age across sub-Saharan Africa is engaged in stable couples. At least half of the couples affected by HIV are sero-discordant (SDCs), that is couples where one of the partners is HIV infected while the other is not, with potential for HIV within-couple transmission. Countries of sub-Saharan Africa are characterized by varying levels of HIV sero-discordancy. HIV infectiousness also appears to vary across the continent. Understanding the link between the levels of HIV sero-discordancy and HIV infectiousness is important for understanding HIV epidemiology and informing HIV prevention efforts. Methods: We constructed a mathematical model that describes HIV transmission dynamics among a nationally-representative cohort of the population in reproductive age in 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of the model is to understand analytically the link between HIV sero-discordancy and HIV infectiousness. HIV sero-discordancy was defined as the proportion of SDCs out of all stable couples affected by HIV (Pdiscord) in the population. The model was parameterized using nationally-representative empirical epidemiological and demographic measures derived from the Demographic and Health Survey data for each of the analyzed countries, along with state-of-the art empirical data for HIV natural history. Sensitivity analyses were also incorporated. Results: Our results revealed a strong functional dependence of HIV infectiousness on HIV sero-discordancy. The risk of HIV transmission among SDCs decreased following a non-linear pattern as Pdiscord increased. The non-linear relationship was characterized by a sharp decrease in HIV infectiousness as Pdiscord increased from zero up to nearly 50%. A transitional region followed where the dependence of HIV infectiousness on Pdiscord stabilized. Eventually, HIV infectiousness was slowly varying, with values of Pdiscord exceeding 50% not leading to major declines in infectiousness. Countries of sub-Saharan Africa clustered either in the transitional region around Pdiscord of 50% or in the asymptotic region well above Pdiscord of 50%. We did not identify any country in the highly non-linear region of Pdiscord well below 50%. Our sensitivity analyses with respect to other parameters in the model affirmed these findings. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the observed levels of HIV sero-discordancy across the African continent can be predictive of HIV infectiousness among stable couples, and suggest that countries fall into two HIV infectiousness domains of high and low infectiousness. Mapping HIV sero-discordancy can inform HIV prevention programs on "hotspot" areas of potentially higher HIV infectiousness.
Mimicking A Postprandial Increase In Glucose Has A Biphasic Action On Microvascular Function
Authors: Triggle Chris
Published: November 2013

Background and Objectives: The high morbidity and mortality associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are closely associated with an elevated incidence of cardiovascular disease. The importance of good glycaemic control for the reduction of risk, notably of microvascular disease, has been emphasised by the results from clinical trials such as the DCCT for type 1 diabetes and UKPDS for type 2 diabetes. Data from clinical studies also indicate that an oral glucose load results in a reduction in the forearm flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) that coordinates and sustains local blood flow. The reduction was greater and more prolonged in patients with diabetes, probably reflecting uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase secondary to glucose metabolism and elevated oxidative stress. These data suggested that the hyperglycaemia associated with poor glycaemic control may reduce blood flow as a result of an endothelium-dependent reduction in FMD. However, the mechanisms whereby glucose may alter this and other aspects of microvascular function are unknown. In the current study, we designed protocols that allowed us acutely to change glucose concentration and compare endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation in mouse and rat microvessels from the mesenteric and gracilis circulation. Methods: Small mesenteric and rat gracilis arteries with resting lumen diameters of approximately 200-250 µm and 110-120 µm were used in the study. The vessels were mounted in a pressure myograph, pressurised to 60 mmHg and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (EDV) was assessed against agonist-mediated or myogenic tone. EDV was compared under normoglycaemic (11.0 mM for mouse and 5.5 mM for rat) versus hyperglycaemic conditions (25 or 40 mM - as based on rodent models of diabetes) with mannitol used as the osmotic control. Results: A short (10-15 minute) exposure to hyperglycaemia increased EDV in gracilis but reduced EDV in mesenteric arteries, whereas after 60-120 minutes EDV was reduced in both tissues, as indicated by both a reduced maximal response (EMAX) and reduced sensitivity (EC50) to agonist. Further analysis revealed that a 60-minute exposure to hyperglycaemia reduced both nitric oxide and non-nitric oxide-mediated EDV. Conclusion: These data indicate that an increase in glucose concentration has a biphasic effect on EDV and hence blood flow. Further studies are underway to determine the cellular mechanisms involved as well as the long-term effects hyperglycaemia on the regulation of microvascular function. Supported by NPRP 4-910-3-244
The Application of Experimental Microdosimetry to Mixed-Field Neutron-Gamma Dosimetry
Authors: Al-Bayati Saad
Published: November 2013

Absorbed Dose Distributions In Lineal Energy For Neutrons And Gamma Rays Were Measured Using Both A Tissue-Equivalent Walled Counter (Tepc) And A Graphite-Walled Low Pressure Proportional Counter (Gpc) In The Am-Be Neutron Source Facility At Uoit. A Series Of Measurements Were Performed With The Counters Filled With Propane-Based Te Gas (55.1% C3H8, 39.5% Co2 And 5.4% N2) At Operating Gas Pressures Corresponding To Tissue Spheres 2.0 , 4.0 And 8.0 ?m In Diameter. The Results Of These Measurements Indicated Satisfactory Performance Of The Counters To Measure Microdosimetric Spectra Extending Down To Event-Sizes That Cover The Gamma Component Of A Mixed Field. An Assessment Of The Performance Of Different Size Tepc Has Been Done And Excellent Agreement Between Their Event Size Spectra Was Found With Differences In The Microdosimetric Parameters Yf And Yd Not Exceeding 3%, Which Is In The Region Of Counting Statistics. To Separate Neutron Dose From Gamma Dose A Simple Lineal Energy Threshold Technique Has Been Used In Addition To More Sophisticated Methods Using G-Fitting And Graphite-Walled Counter Measurements. The Results Of This Study Showed That The Absorbed Dose Gamma Fraction Of The Am-Be Source Was 34.5% As Determined By Gamma Fitting And Dual Chamber Methods. The Simple Threshold Technique Gave A Value Of The Gamma Fraction Of 48% Which Is Acceptable For Radiation Protection Monitoring, However, For Radiation Biology And Neutron Metrology The More Sophisticated Methods Of Determining The Gamma Fraction Of The Total Dose Should Be Used.
Uncovering The Mechanisms Of Soft Tissue Injuries Associated With Acl Tear
Authors: Orsi Alexander
Published: November 2013

Uncovering the Mechanisms of Soft Tissue Injuries Associated with ACL Tear
Epidemiological Study Of Patients Presenting With The First Seizure In Qatar.
Authors: Pathan Sameer
Published: November 2013

Epidemiological study of patients presenting with the first seizure in Qatar.
Notch-Mediated Crosstalk Between Breast Cancer Cells And Endothelial Cells Induces A Transitional Endmt Phenotype Participating To An Endothelial Pro-Tumoral Niche
Authors: Ghiabi Pegah
Published: November 2013

Notch-Mediated Crosstalk between Breast Cancer Cells and Endothelial Cells Induces a Transitional EndMT Phenotype Participating to an Endothelial Pro-tumoral Niche
A Novel Bace-1 Inhibitor, F70Hab16 Reduces Oxidative Stress In Brain Tissues Of Scopolamine-Induced Amnesia In Mice
Authors: James Richard
Published: November 2013

A Novel Bace-1 Inhibitor, F70Hab16 Reduces Oxidative Stress In Brain Tissues Of Scopolamine-Induced Amnesia In Mice
Running Mechanics And Spring-Mass Behaviour During Treadmill Repeated Sprints Are Different In Hypoxia And In Normoxia
Authors: Brocherie Franck
Published: November 2013

Running mechanics and spring-mass behaviour during treadmill repeated sprints are different in hypoxia and in normoxia
The comparison of Muscle strength and short-term endurance in the different periods of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hatef Boshra
Published: November 2013

Background: patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are subjected to reduction in the quality and oxidative capacity of muscles. The effect of duration of diabetes on the muscle endurance response is not clear and strength as well .The aim of this study was the assessment of strength and endurance of knee extensor and flexor in the patients with T2DM<10 and T2DM>10 years in comparison with age, sex, BMI, ABI and PAI-matched health control subjects. Methods: isometric maximal peak torque (MPT) of knee extensor and flexor before and after 40 isokinetic repetitions with velocity of 150 degree/s were recorded in 18 patients with T2DM<10 Y , 12 patients with T2DM>10 Y and 20 matched health control (HC) groups. Results: both diabetic patient groups had significant lower isometric and isotonic knee extensor and flexor strength than HC (Table 1). The endurance indices indicated that whereas the isometric MPT of flexor movement was reduced after isokinetic protocol in the both patient groups in comparison with HC, the less decline was seen in the isotonic torque and work during isokinetic protocol in the T2DM>10 Y group in comparison with two other groups (figure 1). The HbA1c and FBS were significantly correlated with strength not with endurance indices. Conclusions: it seems the progression of diabetes accompanied with vascular, neural and muscular deficits activate, some adaptive and compensatory processes which can maintain muscle performance.
Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Novel Medication Safety Health Promotion Program For Schoolchildren In Qatar
Authors: Wilby Kyle
Published: November 2013

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Novel Medication Safety Health Promotion Program for Schoolchildren in Qatar
Nanotechnology Approaches To The Treatment Of Pulmonary Hypertension: Gold Nanoparticles And No-Release
Authors: Mohamed Nura
Published: November 2013

Nanotechnology approaches to the treatment of pulmonary hypertension: Gold nanoparticles and NO-release
Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening Practices Among Arabic Women Living in the State of Qatar: The Health Care Providers' Perspective
Authors: Hwang Jasmine
Published: November 2013

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer contributing to morbidity and mortality among Arabic women in Qatar. Arabic women are at risk primarily due to their low participation rates in breast cancer screening practices and subsequent delayed diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, there must be a strong emphasis on the health care providers and the health care system to increase efforts in early detection of breast cancer. METHODS: This Master's thesis study is a part of a larger, mixed methods study entitled "Factors Influence Breast Cancer Screening Practices Amongst Arabic Women Living in the State of Qatar" conducted by Dr. Tam Truong Donnelly, the lead principal investigator, and funded by the Qatar National Research Fund under the National Priorities Research Program. Following the theoretical frameworks of the main research study, this qualitative research based its theoretical foundation on an ecological perspective and Kleinman's explanatory model to explore, understand, and describe factors influencing Arabic women's breast cancer screening practices from the health care providers' perspective. Using Carspecken's critical ethnography, fifteen health care providers from three health care sites who work at various levels of the health care system in Qatar were interviewed individually and face to face. RESULTS: An analysis of the data revealed factors that either hinder or facilitate women's breast health and health care practices in Qatar. The influences of the factors are coalesced into four major themes: influences of (a) knowledge and awareness, pain associated with mammogram, and perception of 'no pain, no illness', (b) cultural beliefs, attitudes, and practices with regard to female breasts, body, illness, and unhealthy women and religious beliefs regarding modesty, health, and illness (c) unequal gender relations of power, female roles and responsibilities, and spousal support, and (d) systemic (health care and social resource) factors on women's breast cancer screening practices. CONCLUSIONS: As with many women worldwide, the study findings suggest that Arabic women's health cannot be understood in isolation from the environment in which they live. Rather, the health of Arabic women in Qatar is both constrained and fostered by health care and social systems that are embedded in culture. Addressing problems on a personal level isolated from the context will not be adequate and effective. Therefore, what seems immediately personal must be examined within its context; solutions need to address the context and not be limited to the individual. Authors offer implications for the health care, health care professionals, education, and research.
Hybrid Nanocomposite Polymers For Tissue Engineering
Authors: Mohammed Ali
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this project was to further investigate the characteristic properties of an inorganic-organic hybrid material with respect to its potential application in the field of tissue engineering. The organic component chosen for this project was a co-polymer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 3-trimethoxysilyl propylmethacrylate (TMSPMA), able to crosslink the polymer to the silica network via hydrolysis and condensation of the alkoxysilane functional group. Copolymers of HEMA-TMSPMA were made by the process of free radical polymerization (FRP), using azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a thermal initiator. Hybrid monoliths were then produced by the sol-gel process with hydrolysed tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and HCL solution as the inorganic precursor. The HEMA:TMSPMA ratios used for this study were 200:1, 100:1, 50:1, 20:1 and pure HEMA, at a concentration of 60wt% organic, to allow for comparison on the effect of crosslinking on the hybrids properties. Characterization of the copolymer and hybrid monoliths determined their chemical and physical properties. Characterisation techniques included Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (HNMR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), dissolution study in TRIS solution and which was analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), compressive strength testing and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). These methods were used to determine the molecular composition, mechanical properties and characteristic degradation of the copolymers and monoliths. HNMR showed that the FRP process produced highly polymerised copolymers. The sol-gel process produced successful crack-free monoliths with an average gelation/drying period of 3weeks and average of 4 crack free monoliths from samples of 10 for the optimised sol-gel process. The 3 week dissolution study showed a reduction in silica ions release rate and plateaued at a lower concentration with increasing TMSPMA content and hence a higher degree of cross-linking, with a plateau of Si release between week 2 and 3. XRD shows that no crystalline structures formed on the surface of the hybrids, which is expected as TRIS doesn't contain phosphorus or calcium meaning that no precipitates are expected. Mechanical testing shows that the 200:1 HEMA-TMSPMA monoliths have the highest compressive strength, and Pure HEMA monoliths are the most brittle as expected by the materials natural character, with values of 134.6 ± 19.80 MPa and 42.6 ± 17.39 MPa respectively.
Mutation Analysis Of Kras And Braf Hotspots In Moroccan Patients With Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Jadda Hajar
Published: November 2013

Background: Oncogenic activation of the RAS/RAF signaling pathway induces resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor targeted therapies in patients with colorectal cancer. We investigated the occurrence of BRAF exon 15 and KRAS codons 12 and 13 mutations in patients with colorectal cancer. Patients and Methods: Forty-seven samples from patients with metastasic colorectal adenocarcinomas were studied for BRAF exon 15 and KRAS codons 12 and 13 mutations. From formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens, macrodissection was used to remove specifically the tumor tissue. After DNA extraction, conventional PCR was performed and the DNA was analyzed by direct sequencing. Results: KRAS codon 12 or 13 mutations were present in 51% of patients. Gly12Val mutation was present in 21% of all patients, Gly12Asp in 15%, Gly13Asp in 6%, Gly12Arg in 4%, Gly12Cys in 2% and Gly12Ala in 2%. No BRAF mutation was highlighted. Conclusion: Our data suggest that KRAS mutations are more frequently than BRAF mutations in Moroccan patients with colorectal carcinomas. To our knowledge, we are the first to report such a high proportion (more than 50%) of potentially non responsive patients for the anti-EGFR treatment in Morocco. These results show that, without doubt, the method we used was accurate, cost-effective and time-efficient.
Ability of Qatar’s native plant species to phytoremediate industrial wastewater in an engineered wetland treatment system for beneficial water re-use
Authors: Al-Sulaiti Mohamad Yacob , Al-Shaikh Ismail Mahmoud , Yasseen Bassam , Ashraf Sherin , Hassan Hassan Mustafa
Published: November 2013

Engineered wetland (EWL) is a land treatment system that utilizes natural processes to improve water quality. The EWL system consists of vegetation, aquatic organisms, soils and the associated microbes designed to assist in improving water quality through phytoremediation. Engineered wetlands are commonly utilized to improve municipal wastewater quality however, such technology is not common in treating industrial wastewater (IWW) from oil and gas operations and further, EWL technology has not been tested or implemented in Qatar. EWL technology is promising for Qatar due to land availability, hardy native plant species and suitable climate. The efficiency and sustainability of EWL is highly influenced by its treatment media. A joint project between ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) and the Environmental Studies Center of Qatar University (ESC) is carried out to investigate the abilities of native and/or cultivated plant species to improve IWW quality through phytoremediation. Experiments using selected plants were conducted using soil cultures and sand cultures in the first stage of the project, while the second stage will be expanded to include water cultures. The change in the microbial flora in sand cultures and soil cultures at the rhizosphere was also monitored during the course of the growth of plants. This presentation will report results for the effectiveness of the the native plants potential in removing, degrading and eliminating constituents from IWW. Results indicate that IWW had detrimental impact on all plants studied in the sand culture. On the other hand, the results of soil culture indicate that only barley was negatively affected by IWW. The results also showed that common reed (Phragmites Australis) could be a promising aquatic native plant in any phytoremediation project in the future.
Constructing a green Qatar: A case study
Authors: Hassan Khaled El-Gamil
Published: November 2013

The rapidly developing infrastructure in Qatar requires an increasing supply of quality construction materials. Qatar has limited resources of quality natural aggregate and has to import coarse aggregate for use in asphalt and concrete applications. At the same time, vast quantities of alternative and recycled aggregates are available with limited use in the construction industry. The innovative use of recycled aggregate in construction is to be demonstrated to further support the construction of a sustainable and green Qatar. This leading building trial demonstrates the use of new aggregate materials in three one-story buildings. Alternative materials are sourced from recycled aggregate such as excavation waste (EW), construction & demolition waste (CDW), secondary aggregate of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) from municipal waste, and crushed rock fines (CRF) as crushed limestone rock for use in structural concrete and concrete blocks. Construction specifications need to consider locally available materials and exposure conditions in the Middle East. This leading trial is to provide practical evidence on the performance of local materials when exposed to actual weather conditions in Qatar. The performance of the newly developed concrete products made with alternative aggregates will be monitored for one year. The findings will be used for updating the Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS 2010).
Renewable energy in the GCC: Reducing the fuel and carbon footprint
Authors: Ferroukhi Rabia , Khalid Arslan , Prakash Shashi
Published: November 2013

The harsh climate of GCC, rapid industrialisation and energy subsidies have led to a per capita energy consumption that is much higher than the larger economies of the US, China and the EU. The situation is likely to become worse as more electricity, desalinated water and gasoline will be needed to fuel the ambitious national plans for industrial and economic growth. Localised shortages of natural gas already exist, and the long term viability of a fossil fuel based economy is being discussed at different levels of decision making. Therefore, in order to diversify their energy mix, increase energy security, and save the national fossil fuel sources for export, the GCC countries are setting up targets for deployment of renewable energy (RE). The objective of this paper is to analyse the impacts of these targets on the CO2 emissions and fuel savings. The paper addresses commitments of the GCC governments to their diversification targets by reviewing their recent efforts in renewable energy project implementation, investments in local RE industry, institutional developments, and support to research institutions. Based on the national renewable energy targets for 2020 and 2030, the paper estimates the impacts of the diversification of the GCC energy mix on CO2 emissions and fuel savings. The monetory value of these savings is also estimated based on assumptions of future carbon and fuel prices. Some of the GCC countries have already defined their choice of renewable energy technologies, for others, we develop a potential RE mix comprising of solar, wind and waste to energy technologies. Our findings indicate that the implementation of the RE targets in the GCC can result in very large cumulative CO2 emission savings and fuel savings. The opportunity costs from fuel savings alone would be substantial. In addition, our work shows that the renewable energy targets of the GCC governments are backed by practical efforts that include RE project development, local industry support and domestic capacity building programmes. Successful implementation of these national targets can result in significant savings of valuable fossil fuel resources while significantly reducing the per capita carbon footprint of region.
Isolation of promoters for specific temporal and spatial genetic engineering against nematodes (Heterodera glycines) in soybean (glycine max)
Authors: Alzohairy Ahmed
Published: November 2013

Nematodes cause billions of dollars of damage each year to agricultural crops worldwide. Nematicides are costly and environmentally detrimental. Crop rotation does not eliminate nematodes, but merely decreases crop damage. For successful engineering of transgenic plants for nematodes resistance, it is important to regulate plant resistance through promoters that over-express resistance genes or produce RNAi in the correct cells at the proper time. Data from our previous microarray experiments showed a number of genes that are responsive and activated at feeding site upon nematode infection after 3, 6 and 9 days. In this investigation, we identified and isolated seven different promoter regions, supposedly harboring different regulatory elements upstream to seven responsive genes that are highly expressed in the nematode feeding site. The upstream promoter regions were cloned, sequenced and tested in our newly developed expression vectors series, pJan25S (NCBI: KC416200), pJan25T (NCBI: KC416201) and pJan25X (NCBI: KC416202), that are an enhancements of pGWB533 for pro- moter testing.. Accumulation of the products of reporter genes encoding green fluorescent protein and b-glucuronidase (GUS) was monitored after transformation of onion cells using biolistics gene transfer. These promoter constructs were also prepared for transformation in Arabidopsis and soybean. These promoters will provide scientists with useful regulators for expressing genes and gene products that may inhibit the life cycle of the nematode at nematode feeding site. The same approach can be used for enhancing resistance of Qatari important plants against different pathogen.
Trace metals in urine of farm workers in Qatar: Health implications
Authors: Kuiper Nora
Published: November 2013

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is an emerging risk assessment tool that can be used to decipher the exposure and possible health effects of environmental chemicals. This report presents the results of a pilot HBM study involving 239 farmers in Qatar exposed to chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as other environmental contaminants associated with the rapidly growing energy industry in the country. This cross-sectional study is based on urine as a biomarker and the objectives are to a) introduce HBM as a research tool in Qatar, b) quantify levels of trace elements and organic contaminants in urine from farmers and c) determine risks associated with the exposure to these contaminants using a detailed exposure questionnaire and biomarker results. This presentation focuses on results of 14 elements (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Ba, Pb and U) in urine samples; results of the organic contaminants are being presented separately. The data set associated with this study is the first of its kind in Qatar. All results were within normal global ranges for farmers with the exception of Mo (elevated) and Fe, Cu and Co (depressed levels). The mean and range of these four elements are: Mo (108 µg/L, 9.59 - 737 µg/L), Fe (54.1 µg/L, 2.68 - 4071 µg/L), Cu (14.6 µg/L, 2.82 - 111 µg/L) and Co (0.505, <0.016 - 3.95 µg/L). Mo is a common constituent of oil and gas processes and this study suggests that it can be used as a biomarker of the energy industry in Qatar. The significance of the low levels of Cu, Co and Fe in terms of potential metabolic or dietary deficiencies is being investigated. This pilot study can serve as a model for future population scale human biomonitoring within the country and region.
New synthetic pathway for preparation of cyclic-substituted bridged bicycopentadiene derivatives
Authors: MAMLOUK Hind
Published: November 2013

Since their discovery in the 1950's, cyclopentadiene-based metallocene complexes have attracted considerable attention in biochemistry as well as in catalytic processes in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and more recently in the field of medicine as a potential treatment for cancer. Amongst them, complexes containing saturated cycles as substituents on the cyclopentadienyl ring itself (Figure 1) are particularly interesting as precursors to a-olefins polymerization catalysts. Their interest might lie in the greater stability or increased activity or differentiated selectivity of the resulting catalyst and in the better control of the catalyst residues. The unsaturated ligands and most specifically the ?5-indenyl types might be directly available, while the classical way to obtain the saturated ones is via the catalytic hydrogenation of the parent molecules. However, catalytic hydrogenation reactions usually require severe conditions that are not always compatible with the stability of the target molecules. We are interested in developing versatile, flexible and efficient routes to ligands containing saturated ring systems attached to the cyclopentadienyl ring. This type of ligands, characterized by new structures, allows the synthesis of differentiated metallocene complexes, having outstanding performance in catalytic processes for the polymerization of a-olefins. We report here the synthetic protocols for saturated ligands precluding the hydrogenation step, starting from cycloalkanones. Elegant synthetic routes have been studied. However, the overall yields were often low or the method used was of limited applicability.