•First forensic entomology experiment in the United Arab Emirates.•Survey of the very early colonizers.•Flesh flies were dominant and the species Sarcophaga dux and Wohlfahrtia nuba were the most ...important taxa.•First record of feeding larvae of the flesh fly Wohlfahrtia indigens on carrion.
The carrion insect species that most quickly deposit offspring on a corpse are, when available, likely to yield a more useful estimate of postmortem interval (PMI) compared to later arrivals. This is in part because the age of the oldest larva will be as close as possible to the PMI when doing a development analysis, and because the preappearance interval (PAI), the time the corpse was exposed before insect colonization, corresponds to the narrowest window of time since death for an insect-free corpse when doing a succession analysis. Given replicated training data a prediction of exposure time for a corpse can be in the form of a confidence set, and the maximum value of that set for an insect-free corpse is a probabilistic version of PAI. To discover the insect species likely to be useful in the early postmortem period in the United Arab Emirates we exposed 216 rat carcasses outdoors at two sites in Dubai over three-day periods during winter. Rats were sampled twice each day without replacement and kept in the lab to allow carrion insects to complete development to the adult stage. The fly species produced in this way were Sarcophaga dux, S. ruficornis, Wohlfahrtia nuba, W. indigens (Sarcophagidae), Chrysomya albiceps (Calliphoridae), and Musca domestica (Muscidae). To the best of our knowledge this is the first record of W. indigens larvae feeding on carrion. While adult C. albiceps and M. domestica were abundant on the carcasses, C. albiceps colonized too slowly to be useful for this type of succession analysis within this time frame, and M. domestica emerged from a single rat. The Sarcophagidae were rapid colonizers, and under these conditions the probability is>90% that a carcass would remain free of S. dux larvae not more than 57 h and free of W. nuba larvae for not more than 51 h.
Producing stable semiconducting thin films with low band gap energy by a viable technique is challenging for solar energy harvesting. Herein, Bi-doped Sb2S3 thin films have been deposited on glass ...substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique followed by annealing at 400 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the orthorhombic phase of Sb2S3 and successful incorporation of Bi+3 in the host lattice. Raman spectroscopy revealed the characteristic vibrational modes of Sb2S3. Surface of films became smoother and compact with increasing Bi contents. Samples showed wide absorption range in the visible region. Band gap energy (Eg) values were estimated using Tauc's relation and a blue shift in the absorption edge was observed with addition of Bi, thus Eg increased from 1.58 to 1.71 eV. Higher values of absorption coefficient and absorption edge in the visible region suggest that the prepared Sb2S3 thin films can be a right choice of an absorber layer.
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•A novel approach for very smooth and large area thin films.•The deposited thin films show very high value of absorption coefficient, 4.0 x 10-4 cm-1.• The prepared thin films show excellent absorption in visible region.
The study aimed to identify the current practice carried out by community pharmacists to dispose of expired medications in their workplace and assess any practical steps utilized to reduce medication ...waste.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The participants were asked about their routine practice in disposing of different expired medications and the current actions taken to reduce the number of disposed medicines.
The study included (n = 418) community pharmacists. More than a third of expired liquid, solid, and semi-solid dosage forms were collected by licensed contractors. In addition, more than a third of the pharmacists disposed of different dosage forms via unauthorized methods (general garbage, sink and toilet). Most expired drugs were skin and hair products, antibiotics and analgesics. The majority of pharmacists (68.4 %, n = 286) agreed that expired pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products, other than those disposed of via contractor, should be done through a specialized centre. This opinion was found to be strongly associated with years of practice as community pharmacists (P < 0.05).
Part of the existing disposal practices for expired pharmaceutical products in the UAE is carried out by contractors licensed by health authorities. However, concern remains regarding some pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products that have not been disposed of correctly. Additionally, there is a need for a specialized center for medication disposal (p < 0.05). A stock limitation is the best practice for managing medication quantities in stock (p < 0.05).
Blunt aortic injury is the second most prevalent cause of patient fatalities post-trauma, closely following head injuries as the leading cause. In recent years, thoracic endovascular aortic repair ...(TEVAR) has evidently improved survival rates and reduced complications in patients suffering from blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) in comparison to open surgery and non-operative management. It is difficult to characterize the appropriate criteria for the timing of TEVAR, whether early or delayed for BTAI, considering the discrepancies related to timing. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Embase, were searched through April 2023. The primary outcomes were short-term mortality and hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays. Time to TEVAR, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, deep vein thrombosis, delayed stroke, and renal failure were also evaluated. We included a total of seven studies, comprising 4177 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Short-term mortality was significantly higher in the early TEVAR group (RR: 1.86; 95% confidence interval (CI); (1.26-2.74); p<0.001; I
=33%). In contrast, the ICU length of stay was significantly shorter in the early group (mean difference: -2.82 days; 95% CI; (-4.09 - -1.56); p<0.0001; I
=55%). There was no significant difference between both groups in the presenting profile or postoperative complications. Patients undergoing delayed TEVAR had markedly lower mortality rates but a longer ICU stay. The need for future studies with more robust designs is imperative to investigate the factors influencing the timing of repair and the associated outcomes.
The fate of Sudan, by then the largest country in Africa, was clearly decided when results of the referendum vote were announced in February 2011. Policy makers, scholars and the international ...community began to grapple with critical issues that might arise after the independence of South Sudan and how different stakeholders were likely to react during the period of uncertainty. Political developments in Sudan were long-term outcomes of post-cold war revolutions in the world system after the Soviet Union collapsed. A domino effect of such events swept across Eastern Europe with some manifestations in the Horn of Africa. The fall of Mengistu Haile Mariam, marked the beginning of the redrawing of the map of Africa and posed a challenge to the long held principle of preservation of colonial borders that had been enshrined in the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity. The precedent set by the independence of Eritrea seemed to encourage southern Sudan to press forward for independence through a two pronged approach of armed struggle and diplomacy led by the Sudan People�s Liberation Army/Movement. This book attempts to understand national, regional and continental dimensions of the unresolved issues that could result in the escalation of conflict in the Sudan. It examines internal dynamics of the Sudan after secession of the south and how these dynamics might affect neighbouring countries in the geopolitical regions: the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes Region and Central Africa. A section of the book is dedicated to dynamics within South Sudan as a new state. Post-conflict South Sudan as country was marked by extreme poverty, lack of infrastructure and prevalence of inter-communal armed violence. This book proposes possible policies to prevent the country from descending into a state of economic and social chaos. The book provides the argument that equitable and rational transformative socio-economic programmes and policies could greatly reduce potentials for conflict. This book calls on policy makers to pursue policies that could lead to concrete projects planned to alleviate poverty and provision of basic social services such as education, health, and safe water. The book comes to the conclusion that political stability will depend on collective actions of stakeholders to ensure that peace prevails both in the north and the south to guarantee human security in the region.
This study involves the design of 24 mixtures of fiber reinforced magnetic reactive powder concrete containing nano Silica. Tap water has been used in mixing 12 of these mixtures, while the other 12 ...have been mixed using magnetic water. Nano Silica (NS) with ratios (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3) % were used. The results showed that the mixture containing 2.5%NS gives the highest compressive strength at age 7 days. Many different other tests were carried out, the results showed that the fiber reinforced magnetic reactive powder concrete containing 2.5% NS (FRMRPCCNS) has the higher bulk density, dynamic modulus of elasticity, ultrasonic pulse velocity electrical resistivity and lesser absorption than fiber reinforced nonmagnetic reactive powder concrete containing 2.5%NS(FRNRPCCNS). The percentages of increase for FRMRPCCNS are (1.6, 19.03, 7.89 and 19.28) % and the percentage of reduction is 55.7 % at 28 days respectively, as compared with FRNRPCCNS mixtures.
This study involves the design of 24 mixtures of fiber reinforced magnetic reactive powder concrete containing nano silica. Tap water was used for 12 of these mixtures, while magnetic water ...was used for the others. The nano silica (NS) with ratios (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3) % by weight of cement, were used for all the mixtures. The results have shown that the mixture containing 2.5% NS gives the highest compressive strength at age 7 days. Many different other tests were carried out, the results have shown that the carbon fiber reinforced magnetic reactive powder concrete containing 2.5% NS (CFRMRPCCNS) had higher compressive strength, modulus of rupture, splitting tension, stress in compression and strain in compression than the corresponding values for the carbon fiber reinforced nonmagnetic reactive powder concrete containing the same ratio of NS (CFRNRPCCNS). The percentage increase in these values for CFRMRPCCNS were (22.37, 17.96, 19.44, 6.44 and 25.8) % at 28 days respectively, as compared with the corresponding CFRNRPCCNS mixtures.
This article provides an overview and brief comparative analysis on the degree of compliance of Qatar’s corporate governance framework with the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004. The ...objective of the article is to formulate a number of specific recommendations to the QFMA which will further strengthen the corporate governance framework in Qatar. In 2009 the Qatar Financial Market Authority (QFMA) introduced the Corporate Governance Code (the QFMA Code). Driving the introduction was the recognition by the Qatari authorities of the importance of having a well-structured and mandated corporate governance framework to provide a platform for market integrity and efficiency as well as to facilitate economic growth.1 While the QFMA Code is not yet prescriptive, it encourages listed companies to consider and voluntarily implement the policies to the extent appropriate, having regard the company’s particular circumstances.
The Civil and Commercial Court of the Qatar Financial Centre (“the QFC Court”) was established by virtue of the Qatar Financial Centre Law No. 7 of 2005 as amended by Law No. 2 of 2009 (“the QFC ...Law”). The QFC Court has limited jurisdiction over specific subject matters. Under the QFC Law, and the QFC Court Regulations and Procedural Rules, the QFC Court has jurisdiction over civil and commercial disputes which arise from transactions, contracts, arrangements or incidences which take place in or from the Qatar Financial Centre and which are between parties that are established in the QFC. The QFC Court will also hear disputes which relate to civil and commercial disputes between a QFC established entity and contractors and/or employees of the QFC entity. In the case of contractors, what this means is that the contractor does not need to be established in the QFC but in fact may be established anywhere in the world. The QFC Court will also hear disputes which involve an entity established in the QFC and an entity established in the State of Qatar. However, under Law No. 2 of 2017 “Issuing the Law of Arbitration in Civil and Commercial Matters” (the “New Arbitration Law”), the QFC Court has been conferred with additional powers to discharge certain supportive and supervisory functions over arbitrations seated in the State of Qatar, only if it is chosen by the parties as the Competent Court in the arbitration agreement. This is an important development as it allows the parties, inter alia, to utilise the QFC Court, which is modelled on leading international commercial courts, in relation to the arbitral proceedings, and to work under procedures similar to those found in common law systems. The QFC Court’s new functions under the New Arbitration Law include the appointment of arbitrators in Articles 11(5)(a) and 11(5)(b), the removal of arbitrators (Article 13(1)), decisions on arbitral jurisdiction (after the tribunal has already decided) (Article 16(3)), assistance in taking evidence (Article 27(1)), and the setting aside of arbitral awards (Article 33(2)). This article examines the jurisdiction of the QFC Court in relation to arbitration under the New Arbitration Law, key differences between the QFC Court procedures and other State Court procedures, and the importance of a well-drafted forum selection clause to confer jurisdiction on the QFC Court.
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