Palm trees are of immense economic, sociocultural, touristic, and patrimonial significance all over the world, and date palm‐related knowledge, traditions, and practices are now included in UNESCOs ...list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Of all the pests that infest these trees, the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), is its primary enemy. The RPW is a category‐1 quarantine insect pest that causes enormous economic losses in palm tree cultivation worldwide. The RPW synchronizes mass gathering on the palm tree for feeding and mating, regulated by a male‐produced pheromone composed of two methyl‐branched compounds, (4RS, 5RS)‐4‐methylnonan‐5‐ol (ferrugineol) and 4(RS)‐methylnonan‐5‐one (ferrugineone). Despite the importance of odorant detection in long‐range orientation towards palm trees, palm colonization, and mating, the pheromone receptor has not been identified in this species. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of the first RPW pheromone receptor, RferOR1. Using gene silencing and functional expression in Drosophila olfactory receptor neurons, we demonstrate that RferOR1 is tuned to ferrugineol and ferrugineone and binds five other structurally related molecules. We reveal the lifetime expression of RferOR1, which correlates with adult mating success irrespective of age, a factor that could explain the wide distribution and spread of this pest. As palm weevils are challenging to control based on conventional methods, elucidation of the mechanisms of pheromone detection opens new routes for mating disruption and the early detection of this pest via the development of pheromone receptor‐based biosensors.
•Only 56% of Arab parents plan to vaccinate their children, indicating that there are still some reservations among them.•Many parents are reluctant to vaccinate their children because of the ...vaccine's side effects, efficacy, safety, and scheduling difficulties.•Parents were encouraged to vaccinate their children through a doctor's advice, enough information, public acceptance of the vaccine, and a school district's obligation, among other methods.
The issue around vaccination of children has brought divergent opinions among the populations across the globe and among the Arab population. There has been a low response rate to the calls for vaccination of children and this is reflective of the sentiments which parents may have towards their children being vaccinated. This study aims to explore the parents’ health beliefs, intentions, and strategies towards the COVID-19 vaccine for their children among Arab population.
A cross-sectional study using an online survey from October to December 2021, was carried out in five Arab countries in the Middle East. A reliable health belief model (HBM) including five domains: severity, susceptibility, benefits, barriers and cues to action, was adopted. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney test, and multivariable logistic regression were performed for data analysis.
The survey response rate was 58 % (1154/2000). Only 56 % of Arab parents are intended to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. The mean scores of parental health belief are largely driven by their concern over the vaccine’s side effect (p = 0.001) followed by its efficacy, safety (p < 0.001), and scheduling difficulty (p = 0.029). However, strategies that were statistically encouraged parents to vaccinate their children included doctor’s recommendation, adequate information being provided, and acceptance of the vaccine by public (p < 0.001). Parents with one child were almost three times most likely to vaccinate their children (OR = 2.660, 95 %CI = 1.572–4.504, p < 0.001). Parents' desire to vaccinate their children is also influenced by other factors such as job loss owing to COVID-19 and the presence of a health worker in the family.
Intention of Arab parents to vaccinate their children via COVID-19 vaccine is still limited. Thus, it is essential for health care authorities to avail the information which will debunk the erroneous beliefs which some parents have developed towards the vaccination of children against COVID-19.
While entrepreneurship is believed to play a crucial role in economic growth and job creation in various parts of the world, particularly in developed countries, the key factors enhancing ...entrepreneurship behavior and intention in developing countries still need to be discovered. Therefore, this study examines the influence of personality traits and environmental and situational factors on the development of entrepreneurial intention among young students in Yemen. Data were collected through a survey responded to by 487 final-year university students from two universities (public and private) in Yemen. The study's hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study reveals that personality traits of the need for achievement (nAch) and locus of control (LoC) positively correlate with entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and entrepreneurial intention. Instrumental readiness positively correlates with ESE but not with entrepreneurial intent. The situational factors show a positive association with entrepreneurial intention but not ESE and a positive relationship between ESE and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the study's findings show that ESE partially mediates the relationship between the nAch, LoC, instrumental readiness, and entrepreneurial intention. However, ESE did not mediate the relationship between situational factors and entrepreneurial intention. The study suggests that situational factors can influence entrepreneurial intention among Yemeni students and provide several recommendations to academicians and policymakers.
Accurate determination of mortality attributable to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is critical in allaying concerns about their safety. We reviewed every death in Qatar that occurred within 30 days of any ...SARS-CoV-2 vaccine administration between January 1, 2021 and June 12, 2022. Probability of association with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was determined by four independent trained reviewers using a modified WHO algorithm. Among 6,928,359 doses administered, 138 deaths occurred within 30 days of vaccination; eight had a high probability (1.15/1,000,000 doses), 15 had intermediate probability (2.38/1,000,000 doses), and 112 had low probability or no association with vaccination. The death rate among those with high probability of relationship to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was 0.34/100,000 unique vaccine recipients, while death rate among those with either high or intermediate probability of relationship to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was 0.98/100,000 unique vaccine recipients. In conclusion, deaths attributable to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination are extremely rare and lower than the overall crude mortality rate in Qatar.
This sociolinguistic study examines phonological variation in Almahweet Yemeni Arabic, specifically focusing on the production of the s phoneme among the urban modern class (UMC) and rural working ...class (RWC). Data was collected through sociolinguistic interviews with 48 speakers and analyzed using the Labovian quantitative analysis approach. The study employed descriptive analysis, inferential statistical techniques, and Spradley's ethnographic analysis model to identify speech patterns, significant differences, and sociocultural context. Findings indicate that RWC participants use the sound ṣ more frequently, potentially as a marker of community connection. Age influences s variation, but social class does not show significant differences. This research contributes to knowledge about phonological variation in Almahweet Yemeni Arabic, emphasizing the value of the Labovian quantitative analysis approach. It sheds light on the intricate relationship between language, society, and phonological variation, paving the way for further exploration in this field.
Summary
Herein, we report the synthesis of silver‐based electrocatalysts (Ag/C, AgCo/C, and AgNi/C) using solution combustion method and their performance towards methanol oxidation reaction. ...Detailed structural and microscopic analysis confirmed the formation of graphitic carbon, synthesis of crystalline phases with high porosity in all the three electrocatalysts. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis showed a high concentration of Ag2O (or Ag+) on AgNi/C, whereas AgCo/C exhibited a high concentration AgO (or Ag2+) on the surface. XPS analysis on C 1s confirmed the highest concentrations of the sp2 hybridized CC bond on Ag/C, CO on AgNi/C, and OCO bond on AgCo/C, respectively. The X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis on Ag edge showed a similarity in the bond lengths in AgCo and AgNi samples to that of bulk silver, that has a bond length of 2.89 Å, with only silver‐silver scattering and the absence of a different or a nonsilver metal in the nanoparticles. This indicates that there is no Ag‐M alloying. Nonetheless, a significant difference in particle sizes was observed, with 2.5 and 6 nm, respectively for AgNi and AgCo. Methanol electrooxidation experiments performed on the electrocatalysts indicated AgNi/C to show better performance in comparison to AgCo/C and Ag/C. Anodic polarization curves obtained from linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements demonstrated a superior performance of AgNi/C with an onset potential of 0.41 V. In addition, 20 h chronoamperometry experiment also confirmed a sustained superior performance of AgNi/C catalyst, which could be due to smaller particle size and stabilization of Ag+ on the surface of the catalyst.
Three Ag‐M electrocatalysts (Ag/C, AgNi/C and AgCo/C) were synthesized using combustion synthesis method. All the three catalysts showed the presence of graphitic carbon after the synthesis. A detailed structural analysis indicates alloying at the surface of AgNi and AgCo, whereas segregation of bulk phases. AgNi/C showed the best performance for methanol oxidation. Based on XPS analysis, the surface trapped Ag+ stabilized in AgNi could be responsible for better catalytic performance of AgNi/C catalyst.
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