Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0099
C. Cugno, G. Halade, M. Mizanur Rahman
Rosiglitazone is an effective insulin-sensitizer, however, associated with bone loss mainly due to increased bone resorption, and bone marrow adiposity, and decreased bone formation. We investigated the effect of the co-administration of fish oil (FO) rich in omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) on rosiglitazone (RSG)-induced bone loss in aging C57BL/6 mice and the mechanisms underlying potential preventive effect. Mice fed the iso-caloric diet supplemented with fish oil exhibited significantly higher levels of bone density in different regions compared to the other groups. In the same cohort of mice, reduced activity of COX-2, enhanced activity of alkaline phosphatase, lower levels of cathepsin k, PPAR-γ, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a higher level of anti-inflammatory cytokines were observed. Moreover, fish oil restored rosiglitazone-induced down-regulation of osteoblast differentiation and up-regulation of adipocyte differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells and inhibited the up-regulation of osteoclast differentiation of RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells. We finally tested our hypothesis on human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) differentiated to osteocytes and adipocytes confirming the beneficial effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 FA during treatment with rosiglitazone, through the down-regulation of adipogenic genes, such as adipsin and FABP4 along the PPARg/FABP4 axis, and reducing the capability of osteocytes to switch toward adipogenesis. Our findings demonstrate that fish oil may prevent rosiglitazone-induced bone loss by inhibiting inflammation, osteoclastogenesis, and adipogenesis and by enhancing osteogenesis in the bone microenvironment. Further clinical studies will be undertaken to establish this treatment regimen for the successful treatment of diabetic patients with rosiglitazone without adverse side effects on bone.
{"title":"Omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil supplementation prevents rosiglitazone-induced osteopenia in aging mice","authors":"C. Cugno, G. Halade, M. Mizanur Rahman","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0099","url":null,"abstract":"Rosiglitazone is an effective insulin-sensitizer, however, associated with bone loss mainly due to increased bone resorption, and bone marrow adiposity, and decreased bone formation. We investigated the effect of the co-administration of fish oil (FO) rich in omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) on rosiglitazone (RSG)-induced bone loss in aging C57BL/6 mice and the mechanisms underlying potential preventive effect. Mice fed the iso-caloric diet supplemented with fish oil exhibited significantly higher levels of bone density in different regions compared to the other groups. In the same cohort of mice, reduced activity of COX-2, enhanced activity of alkaline phosphatase, lower levels of cathepsin k, PPAR-γ, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a higher level of anti-inflammatory cytokines were observed. Moreover, fish oil restored rosiglitazone-induced down-regulation of osteoblast differentiation and up-regulation of adipocyte differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells and inhibited the up-regulation of osteoclast differentiation of RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells. We finally tested our hypothesis on human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) differentiated to osteocytes and adipocytes confirming the beneficial effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 FA during treatment with rosiglitazone, through the down-regulation of adipogenic genes, such as adipsin and FABP4 along the PPARg/FABP4 axis, and reducing the capability of osteocytes to switch toward adipogenesis. Our findings demonstrate that fish oil may prevent rosiglitazone-induced bone loss by inhibiting inflammation, osteoclastogenesis, and adipogenesis and by enhancing osteogenesis in the bone microenvironment. Further clinical studies will be undertaken to establish this treatment regimen for the successful treatment of diabetic patients with rosiglitazone without adverse side effects on bone.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90631575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0021
H. Tariq, Z. Qureshi, J. Abraham, Shakoor Abdul, S. AlQaradawi, R. Kahraman
LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries with a high-voltage spinel structure. A microwave-assisted chemical co-precipitation method was used to synthesize Y2O3 coated quasi-spheres of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4. The coating of Y2O3 and subsequent wrapping of quasi-spheres in graphene nanosheets does not alter the volume or promote the formation of unwanted phases. TGA analysis shows high thermal stability in the material. The material has an initial capacity of 133 mAh g−1 at C/10 with a retention of 98% after 100 cycles. In addition, cathode samples show a good capacity of 132 g−1 after 20 cycles at higher temperatures (55 °C). Oxide coatings protect the particles from ionic leaching but limit the electrical conductivity of the materials. However, graphene enhances the conductivity of the synthesized material and wraps active particles in a conductive channel. Due to the synergistic design of the material and the robust manufacturing technique, parasitic reactions are suppressed without affecting the electrical conductivity. To increase their cyclic performance, the suggested material synthesis approach may successfully be applied to various electrode materials.
LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4是一种极有前途的高压尖晶石结构锂离子电池正极材料。采用微波辅助化学共沉淀法合成了Y2O3包覆的LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4准球。Y2O3的涂层和随后在石墨烯纳米片中包裹准球体不会改变体积或促进不需要的相的形成。TGA分析表明该材料具有较高的热稳定性。该材料在C/10条件下的初始容量为133 mAh g−1，循环100次后保留率为98%。此外，阴极样品在较高温度(55°C)下循环20次后显示出132 g−1的良好容量。氧化物涂层保护颗粒免受离子浸出，但限制了材料的导电性。然而，石墨烯增强了合成材料的导电性，并将活性颗粒包裹在导电通道中。由于材料的协同设计和强大的制造技术，寄生反应被抑制而不影响电导率。为了提高它们的循环性能，所提出的材料合成方法可以成功地应用于各种电极材料。
{"title":"Understanding the electrochemical performance of LiNi0. 5Mn1.5O4 coated with Yttria and distributed over graphene nanosheets as cathode in li-ion batteries","authors":"H. Tariq, Z. Qureshi, J. Abraham, Shakoor Abdul, S. AlQaradawi, R. Kahraman","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0021","url":null,"abstract":"LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries with a high-voltage spinel structure. A microwave-assisted chemical co-precipitation method was used to synthesize Y2O3 coated quasi-spheres of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4. The coating of Y2O3 and subsequent wrapping of quasi-spheres in graphene nanosheets does not alter the volume or promote the formation of unwanted phases. TGA analysis shows high thermal stability in the material. The material has an initial capacity of 133 mAh g−1 at C/10 with a retention of 98% after 100 cycles. In addition, cathode samples show a good capacity of 132 g−1 after 20 cycles at higher temperatures (55 °C). Oxide coatings protect the particles from ionic leaching but limit the electrical conductivity of the materials. However, graphene enhances the conductivity of the synthesized material and wraps active particles in a conductive channel. Due to the synergistic design of the material and the robust manufacturing technique, parasitic reactions are suppressed without affecting the electrical conductivity. To increase their cyclic performance, the suggested material synthesis approach may successfully be applied to various electrode materials.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87109925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0091
Onur Mutlu, H. Yalcin
Background: About 18 million people die each year from cardiovascular disorders, accounting for 31% of all deaths worldwide. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a serious clinical condition manifested as dilation of the aorta beyond 50% of the normal vessel diameter. Current clinical practice is to surgically repair large AAAs with a diameter > 5.5 cm. However, the practice is questionable based on small AAA rupture and large AAA no rupture cases. Currently, there is no accepted technique to quantify the risk of rupture for individual AAAs. It is believed that rupture locations are where peak wall stresses act. Hemodynamic forces by the flowing blood such as shear stress are also thought to contribute to the formation of aneurysms leading to rupture. Aim: Our aim is to perform precise computational analysis for the assessment of rupture risk for AAA patients. Methods: In this IRCC funded project, we will develop a patient-specific computational modeling methodology to assess wall stresses acting on the diseased AAA, for reliable rupture risk assessment of the conditions. In the computational simulations, we will adapt the fluid-structure interaction approach to account for both tissue displacements and hemodynamic forces, for enhanced accuracy. We have recruited 20 AAA patients at HMC and collected CT scans and ultrasound images for these patients. Using these medical data, we are developing accurate 3D model geometries. Doppler ultrasound measurements are used as velocity boundary conditions in the simulations. Expected Results: Findings from this project will contribute significantly to understanding the biomechanics and mechanobiology of AAA rupture and will help to establish a computational modeling approach for rupture risk assessment of AAAs.
{"title":"Investigation of potential rupture locations for abdominal aortic aneurysms with patient-specific computational fluid dynamic analysis approach","authors":"Onur Mutlu, H. Yalcin","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0091","url":null,"abstract":"Background: About 18 million people die each year from cardiovascular disorders, accounting for 31% of all deaths worldwide. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a serious clinical condition manifested as dilation of the aorta beyond 50% of the normal vessel diameter. Current clinical practice is to surgically repair large AAAs with a diameter > 5.5 cm. However, the practice is questionable based on small AAA rupture and large AAA no rupture cases. Currently, there is no accepted technique to quantify the risk of rupture for individual AAAs. It is believed that rupture locations are where peak wall stresses act. Hemodynamic forces by the flowing blood such as shear stress are also thought to contribute to the formation of aneurysms leading to rupture. Aim: Our aim is to perform precise computational analysis for the assessment of rupture risk for AAA patients. Methods: In this IRCC funded project, we will develop a patient-specific computational modeling methodology to assess wall stresses acting on the diseased AAA, for reliable rupture risk assessment of the conditions. In the computational simulations, we will adapt the fluid-structure interaction approach to account for both tissue displacements and hemodynamic forces, for enhanced accuracy. We have recruited 20 AAA patients at HMC and collected CT scans and ultrasound images for these patients. Using these medical data, we are developing accurate 3D model geometries. Doppler ultrasound measurements are used as velocity boundary conditions in the simulations. Expected Results: Findings from this project will contribute significantly to understanding the biomechanics and mechanobiology of AAA rupture and will help to establish a computational modeling approach for rupture risk assessment of AAAs.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82494930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0028
V. Subramanian, V. M. Aboobacker, A. Giráldes, S. Dib, J. Al-Khayat, P. Vethamony
The ubiquitous microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging environmental issue in the marine environment. In this study, historical accumulation trends of MPs in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island of Qatar have been established. The vertical distribution of MPs ranged from 0 to 665 particles/kg with maximum abundance at the surface layer (0–5 cm). Pellets were the dominant type of MPs in the surface sediments, whereas fibers were dominant in the bottom sediments. The polymer composition of MPs was identified using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (EPS) were the abundant polymers present in the sediments. High MP concentrations were found in the western and northern parts of the island. The prevailing winds, waves, tides and currents are the forces responsible for the distribution and transport of MPs from the offshore to the island and further to vertical re-distribution as time progresses. The level of MP pollution along the Coast of Ras Rakan Island was higher than that found on the coast of mainland Qatar. This informs that remote islands should also be considered for MP pollution monitoring to assess the risk associated with MP on the biota.
{"title":"Microplastics in the Beach Sediments around the Ras Rakan Island, Qatar","authors":"V. Subramanian, V. M. Aboobacker, A. Giráldes, S. Dib, J. Al-Khayat, P. Vethamony","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0028","url":null,"abstract":"The ubiquitous microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging environmental issue in the marine environment. In this study, historical accumulation trends of MPs in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island of Qatar have been established. The vertical distribution of MPs ranged from 0 to 665 particles/kg with maximum abundance at the surface layer (0–5 cm). Pellets were the dominant type of MPs in the surface sediments, whereas fibers were dominant in the bottom sediments. The polymer composition of MPs was identified using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (EPS) were the abundant polymers present in the sediments. High MP concentrations were found in the western and northern parts of the island. The prevailing winds, waves, tides and currents are the forces responsible for the distribution and transport of MPs from the offshore to the island and further to vertical re-distribution as time progresses. The level of MP pollution along the Coast of Ras Rakan Island was higher than that found on the coast of mainland Qatar. This informs that remote islands should also be considered for MP pollution monitoring to assess the risk associated with MP on the biota.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83928908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0183
Shahad Alkhair, Enas Elhawary, Ruba Ali, Nitha Siby, Rania Aledamat, Maryam AlEjji, J. Bhadra, Zubair Ahmed, N. Al-Thani
In early 2020 when Covid-19 hit the globe, it caused significant destruction to the educational process. Schools were shut down, teachers and students struggled to adapt to the new method of learning. Meanwhile, Students were subjected to numerous misinformation circulating about the virus. Thereby it was crucial to develop an interactive virtual health awareness course addressing Covid-19 and utilizing STEM learning in the content of the course. Twenty students (12 Females and 8 Males) from secondary schools inside Qatar participated in the course. Diverse digital tools were integrated into the course contents, such as interactive quizzes, online games, videos, and PowerPoint presentations to increase student’s interest in STEM. Furthermore, discussions with experts in various fields were held during the course to equip students with the knowledge and competencies needed to meet course outcomes. A feedback mechanism evaluated the course content design and delivery. The results indicated student’s positive responses to the STEM learning experience and the activities implemented in the course. The students exhibited high attendance throughout the course, and they completed their assigned projects voluntarily. The course effectively achieved desired outcomes of the study. The design of the course content integrated various digital tools that address STEM learning and motivate students to join and retain three weeks course duration. The course effectively achieved desired outcomes of the study. The design of the course content integrated various digital tools that address STEM learning and motivate students to join and retain three weeks duration. Consequently, students’ competencies, and innovation capabilities were improved.
{"title":"Development and Productive use of Virtual Pandemic Awareness Course during COVID-19 Outbreak to Stimulate STEM Curiosity in High School Students","authors":"Shahad Alkhair, Enas Elhawary, Ruba Ali, Nitha Siby, Rania Aledamat, Maryam AlEjji, J. Bhadra, Zubair Ahmed, N. Al-Thani","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0183","url":null,"abstract":"In early 2020 when Covid-19 hit the globe, it caused significant destruction to the educational process. Schools were shut down, teachers and students struggled to adapt to the new method of learning. Meanwhile, Students were subjected to numerous misinformation circulating about the virus. Thereby it was crucial to develop an interactive virtual health awareness course addressing Covid-19 and utilizing STEM learning in the content of the course. Twenty students (12 Females and 8 Males) from secondary schools inside Qatar participated in the course. Diverse digital tools were integrated into the course contents, such as interactive quizzes, online games, videos, and PowerPoint presentations to increase student’s interest in STEM. Furthermore, discussions with experts in various fields were held during the course to equip students with the knowledge and competencies needed to meet course outcomes. A feedback mechanism evaluated the course content design and delivery. The results indicated student’s positive responses to the STEM learning experience and the activities implemented in the course. The students exhibited high attendance throughout the course, and they completed their assigned projects voluntarily. The course effectively achieved desired outcomes of the study. The design of the course content integrated various digital tools that address STEM learning and motivate students to join and retain three weeks course duration. The course effectively achieved desired outcomes of the study. The design of the course content integrated various digital tools that address STEM learning and motivate students to join and retain three weeks duration. Consequently, students’ competencies, and innovation capabilities were improved.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"81 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84137472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0142
Zainab Abdulwahab, Sara Qaddourah, Hajer Nafea, Omnia Abdelmegid
Background: Cognitive impairments has become a global public concern. A limited number of studies suggest a positive association between nuts intake and cognitive function. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between nuts consumption and cognitive function and to test whether hypertension and diabetes mediate this association among adults in Qatar. Methods: Data from 1000 participants aged 20 and above who attended Qatar Biobank (QBB) were used. Nuts consumption was assessed by a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Blood samples were measured for magnesium and glucose. Cognitive function was assessed using computer self-administrated test to measure Mean Reaction Time (MRT). Linear regression was used to assess the association. Results: A total of 21.1% of the sample reported consuming nuts more than 4-6 times/week (high consumption) while 40.2% reported the consumption ≤1 time/month (low consumption). The mean MRT was 715.6 millisecond (SD 204.1). An inverse association was found between nuts consumption and MRT. Compared with those with a low consumption, high consumption of nuts had a regression coefficient of -36.95 (-68.09 to -5.82) after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The inverse association between nuts and MRT was mainly seen among those aged >50 years. There was an interaction between nuts consumption and hypertension. The association between nuts consumption and MRT was not mediated via hypertension, diabetes, and serum magnesium. Conclusion: There is a positive association between nuts consumption and cognitive function, especially among old adults.
{"title":"Nuts consumption and cognitive function","authors":"Zainab Abdulwahab, Sara Qaddourah, Hajer Nafea, Omnia Abdelmegid","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0142","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Cognitive impairments has become a global public concern. A limited number of studies suggest a positive association between nuts intake and cognitive function. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between nuts consumption and cognitive function and to test whether hypertension and diabetes mediate this association among adults in Qatar. Methods: Data from 1000 participants aged 20 and above who attended Qatar Biobank (QBB) were used. Nuts consumption was assessed by a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Blood samples were measured for magnesium and glucose. Cognitive function was assessed using computer self-administrated test to measure Mean Reaction Time (MRT). Linear regression was used to assess the association. Results: A total of 21.1% of the sample reported consuming nuts more than 4-6 times/week (high consumption) while 40.2% reported the consumption ≤1 time/month (low consumption). The mean MRT was 715.6 millisecond (SD 204.1). An inverse association was found between nuts consumption and MRT. Compared with those with a low consumption, high consumption of nuts had a regression coefficient of -36.95 (-68.09 to -5.82) after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The inverse association between nuts and MRT was mainly seen among those aged >50 years. There was an interaction between nuts consumption and hypertension. The association between nuts consumption and MRT was not mediated via hypertension, diabetes, and serum magnesium. Conclusion: There is a positive association between nuts consumption and cognitive function, especially among old adults.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84164172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0172
Justin J. Gengler, N. Lari, Buthaina A. Al-Khelaifi, Maryam F. Al Thani, Rima Charbaji El-Kassem, Fatma Almoghunni
Amid the outbreak of the contagious novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), states were put in an unprecedented situation never encountered before. Qatari authorities applied certain preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus. Still, knowledge of public risk perceptions and behavioral responses surrounding the COVID-19 epidemic is emerging, and clear quantitative data remain limited. This poster summarizes the results of a SESRI study that investigated social attitudes, behavior, and consequences surrounding COVID-19 in Qatar. An original online survey was conducted in both Qatar and a comparison case (Kuwait) during a 3-month period from November 2020 to January 2021. A total of 4,597 citizens and residents of Qatar aged 18 years and older were recruited to participate in the study, with 2,282 completing the full interview schedule. A total of 2,671 citizens and residents of Kuwait (1,184 completed) also took part in the survey to provide a regional baseline. The study produced many previously unavailable insights. Attitudes on risk perception, behavioral responses, and psychological distress were examined, along with individual-level determinants of intentions to comply as well as actual compliance with mandated preventive measures. The study findings suggest that authorities in Qatar should prioritize increasing public knowledge about COVID-19, present clear explanations of important changes in public policy surrounding COVID-19, spread accurate information about COVID-19 to combat the global online misinformation and debunk conspiracy theories and perpetuating myths. Redouble efforts to ensure public compliance with COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly among Qatari citizens and in relation to social gatherings, continue the transparent communication about its approach of handling the crisis with the public and effectively communicate the dangers of COVID-19 in order to encourage citizens and residents to comply with restrictions and to take the vaccine.
{"title":"Social Attitudes, Behavior, and Consequences surrounding COVID-19 in Qatar: Findings from a Large-scale Online Survey V2H Operations","authors":"Justin J. Gengler, N. Lari, Buthaina A. Al-Khelaifi, Maryam F. Al Thani, Rima Charbaji El-Kassem, Fatma Almoghunni","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0172","url":null,"abstract":"Amid the outbreak of the contagious novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), states were put in an unprecedented situation never encountered before. Qatari authorities applied certain preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus. Still, knowledge of public risk perceptions and behavioral responses surrounding the COVID-19 epidemic is emerging, and clear quantitative data remain limited. This poster summarizes the results of a SESRI study that investigated social attitudes, behavior, and consequences surrounding COVID-19 in Qatar. An original online survey was conducted in both Qatar and a comparison case (Kuwait) during a 3-month period from November 2020 to January 2021. A total of 4,597 citizens and residents of Qatar aged 18 years and older were recruited to participate in the study, with 2,282 completing the full interview schedule. A total of 2,671 citizens and residents of Kuwait (1,184 completed) also took part in the survey to provide a regional baseline. The study produced many previously unavailable insights. Attitudes on risk perception, behavioral responses, and psychological distress were examined, along with individual-level determinants of intentions to comply as well as actual compliance with mandated preventive measures. The study findings suggest that authorities in Qatar should prioritize increasing public knowledge about COVID-19, present clear explanations of important changes in public policy surrounding COVID-19, spread accurate information about COVID-19 to combat the global online misinformation and debunk conspiracy theories and perpetuating myths. Redouble efforts to ensure public compliance with COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly among Qatari citizens and in relation to social gatherings, continue the transparent communication about its approach of handling the crisis with the public and effectively communicate the dangers of COVID-19 in order to encourage citizens and residents to comply with restrictions and to take the vaccine.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89809517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0055
M. Hafizh, A. Muthalif
A novel design of a hybrid piezoelectric-electromagnetic harvester for vortex-induced vibration applications inside a pipe-flow is proposed. The piezoelectric energy harvester is modeled with a macro-fiber composite with an electromagnetic oscillator. Analytical and numerical models were developed for the fluid-structure interaction. An optimization study was conducted using finite element modelling across different bluff body shapes and orientations where triangle and 2.5x ellipse were optimal choices for maximizing energy harvesting properties. An investigation into dual-mass energy harvesting was also performed for bandwidth enhancement. A secondary beam has improved the piezoelectric performance by 21% to 52%. Finally, an experimental study was conducted to verify the narrowband resonance models and validate the use of a magnetically coupled dual broadband harvester (58% enhancement). Optimization and design of the harvester has led to improvements in performance that can realize powering sensors and devices in wireless applications.
{"title":"Towards Developing a Hybrid Nonlinear Vibration Energy Harvester for Remote Sensing Applications: A Design and Optimization Study","authors":"M. Hafizh, A. Muthalif","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0055","url":null,"abstract":"A novel design of a hybrid piezoelectric-electromagnetic harvester for vortex-induced vibration applications inside a pipe-flow is proposed. The piezoelectric energy harvester is modeled with a macro-fiber composite with an electromagnetic oscillator. Analytical and numerical models were developed for the fluid-structure interaction. An optimization study was conducted using finite element modelling across different bluff body shapes and orientations where triangle and 2.5x ellipse were optimal choices for maximizing energy harvesting properties. An investigation into dual-mass energy harvesting was also performed for bandwidth enhancement. A secondary beam has improved the piezoelectric performance by 21% to 52%. Finally, an experimental study was conducted to verify the narrowband resonance models and validate the use of a magnetically coupled dual broadband harvester (58% enhancement). Optimization and design of the harvester has led to improvements in performance that can realize powering sensors and devices in wireless applications.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90018364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0066
M. Al-Kaabi, M. Al‐Ghouti, N. Zouari, T. Ahmed
The produced water from natural gas production process in the North field offshore is considered as the largest wastewater volume in Qatar, which could be potentially used for clean water resources for the industry as well as for some other domestic uses, if it is treated properly. This research aims to study the physical and chemical characterizations of the produced water from the North field and examine the removal of major inorganic and organic pollutants and heavy metals from the PW by using different treatments method such as using the sand filtration, activated carbon filtration and modified activated carbon filtration. The physical and chemical characterization of produced water was examined followed by treatment through sand filtration coupled with activated carbon and microemulsion modified activated carbon techniques. The results of characterization showed that the produced water had high concentration of COD, TOC, BTEX and various metals. After sand filtration, considerable reduction in TSS and COD was achieved. Furthermore, BTEX were also removed by more than 93% except for toluene. However, sand filtration was not enough to remove most of the metals and ions. Therefore, further treatment was done through activated carbon and modified activated carbon and their treatment efficiency was compared. Both techniques were able to achieve higher removal efficiencies for BTEX, metals and ions. Thus, the treated water was free from all major pollutants of PW and can be considered suitable for reuse at industrial application. Further studies and applications could be applied on produced water such as studying the biological characterization and applying biological treatment processes.
{"title":"An Integrated Approach to Produced Water Treatment using Sand Filtration, Activated Carbon and Microemulsions modified Activated Carbon","authors":"M. Al-Kaabi, M. Al‐Ghouti, N. Zouari, T. Ahmed","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0066","url":null,"abstract":"The produced water from natural gas production process in the North field offshore is considered as the largest wastewater volume in Qatar, which could be potentially used for clean water resources for the industry as well as for some other domestic uses, if it is treated properly. This research aims to study the physical and chemical characterizations of the produced water from the North field and examine the removal of major inorganic and organic pollutants and heavy metals from the PW by using different treatments method such as using the sand filtration, activated carbon filtration and modified activated carbon filtration. The physical and chemical characterization of produced water was examined followed by treatment through sand filtration coupled with activated carbon and microemulsion modified activated carbon techniques. The results of characterization showed that the produced water had high concentration of COD, TOC, BTEX and various metals. After sand filtration, considerable reduction in TSS and COD was achieved. Furthermore, BTEX were also removed by more than 93% except for toluene. However, sand filtration was not enough to remove most of the metals and ions. Therefore, further treatment was done through activated carbon and modified activated carbon and their treatment efficiency was compared. Both techniques were able to achieve higher removal efficiencies for BTEX, metals and ions. Thus, the treated water was free from all major pollutants of PW and can be considered suitable for reuse at industrial application. Further studies and applications could be applied on produced water such as studying the biological characterization and applying biological treatment processes.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91400467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-20DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2021.0155
Nandhini Subramanian, ,. J. Kunhoth, S. Al-Maadeed, A. Bouridane
COVID pandemic has necessitated the need for virtual and online health care systems to avoid contacts. The transfer of sensitive medical information including the chest and lung X-ray happens through untrusted channels making it prone to many possible attacks. This paper aims to secure the medical data of the patients using image steganography when transferring through untrusted channels. A deep learning method with three parts is proposed – preprocessing module, embedding network and the extraction network. Features from the cover image and the secret image are extracted by the preprocessing module. The merged features from the preprocessing module are used to output the stego image by the embedding network. The stego image is given as the input to the extraction network to extract the ingrained secret image. Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) are the evaluation metrics used. Higher PSNR value proves the higher security; robustness of the method and the image results show the higher imperceptibility. The hiding capacity of the proposed method is 100% since the cover image and the secret image are of the same size.
{"title":"Stego-eHealth: An eHealth System for Secured Transfer of Medical Images using Image Steganography","authors":"Nandhini Subramanian, ,. J. Kunhoth, S. Al-Maadeed, A. Bouridane","doi":"10.29117/quarfe.2021.0155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2021.0155","url":null,"abstract":"COVID pandemic has necessitated the need for virtual and online health care systems to avoid contacts. The transfer of sensitive medical information including the chest and lung X-ray happens through untrusted channels making it prone to many possible attacks. This paper aims to secure the medical data of the patients using image steganography when transferring through untrusted channels. A deep learning method with three parts is proposed – preprocessing module, embedding network and the extraction network. Features from the cover image and the secret image are extracted by the preprocessing module. The merged features from the preprocessing module are used to output the stego image by the embedding network. The stego image is given as the input to the extraction network to extract the ingrained secret image. Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) are the evaluation metrics used. Higher PSNR value proves the higher security; robustness of the method and the image results show the higher imperceptibility. The hiding capacity of the proposed method is 100% since the cover image and the secret image are of the same size.","PeriodicalId":9295,"journal":{"name":"Building Resilience at Universities: Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship","volume":"251 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76616030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：