| 1. |
- Thomas, HS, et al.
(author)
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- 2019
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Drake, TM, et al.
(author)
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Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in children: an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study
- 2020
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In: BMJ global health. - : BMJ. - 2059-7908. ; 5:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, there is a lack of data available about SSI in children worldwide, especially from low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of SSI in children and associations between SSI and morbidity across human development settings.MethodsA multicentre, international, prospective, validated cohort study of children aged under 16 years undergoing clean-contaminated, contaminated or dirty gastrointestinal surgery. Any hospital in the world providing paediatric surgery was eligible to contribute data between January and July 2016. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI by 30 days. Relationships between explanatory variables and SSI were examined using multilevel logistic regression. Countries were stratified into high development, middle development and low development groups using the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI).ResultsOf 1159 children across 181 hospitals in 51 countries, 523 (45·1%) children were from high HDI, 397 (34·2%) from middle HDI and 239 (20·6%) from low HDI countries. The 30-day SSI rate was 6.3% (33/523) in high HDI, 12·8% (51/397) in middle HDI and 24·7% (59/239) in low HDI countries. SSI was associated with higher incidence of 30-day mortality, intervention, organ-space infection and other HAIs, with the highest rates seen in low HDI countries. Median length of stay in patients who had an SSI was longer (7.0 days), compared with 3.0 days in patients who did not have an SSI. Use of laparoscopy was associated with significantly lower SSI rates, even after accounting for HDI.ConclusionThe odds of SSI in children is nearly four times greater in low HDI compared with high HDI countries. Policies to reduce SSI should be prioritised as part of the wider global agenda.
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| 5. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(author)
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The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
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| 6. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N., et al.
(author)
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The PREDICTS database : a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts
- 2014
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 4:24, s. 4701-4735
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species' threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project - and avert - future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups - including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems - ). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Al-Rukn, S, et al.
(author)
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Stroke in the Middle-East and North Africa: A 2-year prospective observational study of intravenous thrombolysis treatment in the region. Results from the SITS-MENA Registry
- 2020
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In: International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4949. ; 15:9, s. 980-987
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in the Middle-East and North African (MENA) countries is still confined to the main urban and university hospitals. This was a prospective observational study to examine outcomes of intravenous thrombolysis-treated stroke patients in the MENA region compared to the non-MENA stroke cohort in the SITS International Registry. Results Of 32,160 patients with ischemic stroke registered using the SITS intravenous thrombolysis protocol between June 2014 and May 2016, 500 (1.6%) were recruited in MENA. Compared to non-MENA (all p < 0.001), median age in MENA was 55 versus 73 years, NIH Stroke Scale score 12 versus 9, onset-to-treatment time 138 versus 155 min and door-to-needle time 54 min versus 64 min. Hypertension was the most reported risk factor, but lower in MENA (51.7 vs. 69.7%). Diabetes was more frequent in MENA (28.5 vs. 20.8%) as well as smoking (20.8 vs. 15.9%). Hyperlipidemia was less observed in MENA (17.6 vs. 29.3%). Functional independence (mRS 0–2) at seven days or discharge was similar (53% vs. 52% in non-MENA), with mortality slightly lower in MENA (2.3% vs. 4.8%). SICH rates by SITS-MOST definition were low (<1.4%) in both groups. Conclusions Intravenous thrombolysis patients in MENA were younger, had more severe strokes and more often diabetes. Although stroke severity was higher in MENA, short-term functional independency and mortality were not worse compared to non-MENA, which could partly be explained by younger age and shorter OTT in MENA. Decreasing the burden of stroke in this young population should be prioritized.
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| 9. |
- Al Rukn, S, et al.
(author)
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Stroke in the Middle-East and North Africa: A 2-year prospective observational study of stroke characteristics in the region-Results from the Safe Implementation of Treatments in Stroke (SITS)-Middle-East and North African (MENA)
- 2019
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In: International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4949. ; 14:7, s. 715-722
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stroke incidence and mortality are reported to have increased in the Middle-East and North African (MENA) countries during the last decade. This was a prospective observational study to examine the baseline characteristics of stroke patients in the MENA region and to compare the MENA vs. the non-MENA stroke cohort in the Safe Implementation of Treatments in Stroke (SITS) International Registry. Results Of the 13,822 patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke enrolled in the SITS-All Patients Protocol between June 2014 and May 2016, 5897 patients (43%) were recruited in MENA. The median onset-to-door time was 5 h (IQR: 2:20–13:00), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 8 (4–13) and age was 65 years (56–76). Hypertension (66%) and diabetes (38%) were the prevailing risk factors; large artery stenosis > 50% (25.3%) and lacunar strokes (24.1%) were the most common ischemic stroke etiologies. In comparison, non-MENA countries displayed an onset-to-door time of 5:50 h (2:00–18:45), a median of NIHSS 6 (3–14), and a median age of 66 (56–76), with other large vessel disease and cardiac embolism as the main ischemic stroke etiologies. Hemorrhagic strokes (10%) were less common compared to non-MENA countries (13.9%). In MENA, only a low proportion of patients (21%) was admitted to stroke units. Conclusions MENA patients are slightly younger, have a higher prevalence of diabetes and slightly more severe ischemic strokes, commonly of atherosclerotic or microvascular etiology. Admission into stroke units and long-term follow-up need to be improved. It is suspected that cardiac embolism and atrial fibrillation are currently underdiagnosed in MENA countries.
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| 10. |
- Afan, Haitham Abdulmohsin, et al.
(author)
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Thermal and Hydraulic Performances of Carbon and Metallic Oxides-Based Nanomaterials
- 2022
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In: Nanomaterials. - : MDPI AG. - 2079-4991. ; 12:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For companies, notably in the realms of energy and power supply, the essential requirement for highly efficient thermal transport solutions has become a serious concern. Current research highlighted the use of metallic oxides and carbon-based nanofluids as heat transfer fluids. This work examined two carbon forms (PEG@GNPs & PEG@TGr) and two types of metallic oxides (Al2O3 & SiO2) in a square heated pipe in the mass fraction of 0.1 wt.%. Laboratory conditions were as follows: 6401 ≤ Re ≤ 11,907 and wall heat flux = 11,205 W/m2. The effective thermal–physical and heat transfer properties were assessed for fully developed turbulent fluid flow at 20–60 °C. The thermal and hydraulic performances of nanofluids were rated in terms of pumping power, performance index (PI), and performance evaluation criteria (PEC). The heat transfer coefficients of the nanofluids improved the most: PEG@GNPs = 44.4%, PEG@TGr = 41.2%, Al2O3 = 22.5%, and SiO2 = 24%. Meanwhile, the highest augmentation in the Nu of the nanofluids was as follows: PEG@GNPs = 35%, PEG@TGr = 30.1%, Al2O3 = 20.6%, and SiO2 = 21.9%. The pressure loss and friction factor increased the highest, by 20.8–23.7% and 3.57–3.85%, respectively. In the end, the general performance of nanofluids has shown that they would be a good alternative to the traditional working fluids in heat transfer requests.
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| 11. |
- Faisal, Ayad A. H, et al.
(author)
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Controlling metal ion migration in contaminated groundwater with Iraqi clay barriers for water resource protection
- 2023
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In: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2046-2069. ; 13:24, s. 16196-16205
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigates the effectiveness of using Iraqi clay as a low-permeability layer to prevent the migration of lead and nickel ions in groundwater-aquifers. Tests of batch operation have been conducted to determine the optimal conditions for removing Pb2+ ions, which were found to be 120 minutes of contact time, a pH of 5, 0.12 g of clay per 100 mL of solution, and an agitation of 250 rpm. These conditions resulted in a 90% removal efficiency for a 50 mg L−1 initial concentration of lead ions. To remove nickel ions with an efficiency of 80%, the optimal conditions were 60 minutes of contact time, a pH of 6, 12 g of clay per 100 mL of solution, and an agitation of 250 rpm. Several sorption models were evaluated, and the Langmuir formula was found to be the most effective. The highest sorption capacities were 1.75 and 137 mg g−1 for nickel and lead ions, respectively. The spread of metal ions was simulated using finite element analysis in the COMSOL multiphysics simulation software, taking into account the presence of a clay barrier. The results showed that the barrier creates low-discharge zones along the down-gradient of the barrier, reducing the rate of pollutant migration to protect the water sources.
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| 12. |
- Hussien, Abdelazim, et al.
(author)
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Recent Advances in Harris Hawks Optimization : A Comparative Study and Applications
- 2022
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In: Electronics. - : MDPI. - 2079-9292. ; 11:12
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Harris hawk optimizer is a recent population-based metaheuristics algorithm that simulates the hunting behavior of hawks. This swarm-based optimizer performs the optimization procedure using a novel way of exploration and exploitation and the multiphases of search. In this review research, we focused on the applications and developments of the recent well-established robust optimizer Harris hawk optimizer (HHO) as one of the most popular swarm-based techniques of 2020. Moreover, several experiments were carried out to prove the powerfulness and effectivness of HHO compared with nine other state-of-art algorithms using Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC2005) and CEC2017. The literature review paper includes deep insight about possible future directions and possible ideas worth investigations regarding the new variants of the HHO algorithm and its widespread applications.
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| 13. |
- Lim, F. L., et al.
(author)
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Respiratory health among office workers in Malaysia and endotoxin and (1,3)-beta-glucan in office dust
- 2019
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In: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. - : INT UNION AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS LUNG DISEASE (I U A T L D). - 1027-3719 .- 1815-7920. ; 23:11, s. 1171-1177
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE : To examine the associations between endotoxin and (1,3)-beta-glucan concentrations in office dust and respiratory symptoms and airway inflammation among 695 office workers in Malaysia. METHODS : Health data were collected using a questionnaire, sensitisation testing and measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Indoor temperature, relative air humidity (RH) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured in the offices and settled dust was vacuumed and analysed for endotoxin and (1,3)-beta-glucan concentrations. Associations were analysed by two level multiple logistic regression. RESULTS : Overall, 9.6% of the workers had doctor-diagnosed asthma, 15.5% had wheeze, 18.4% had daytime attacks of breathlessness and 25.8% had elevated FeNO (>= 25 ppb). The median levels in office dust were 11.3 EU/mg endotoxin and 62.9 ng/g (1,3)-beta-glucan. After adjusting for personal and home environment factors, endotoxin concentration in dust was associated with wheeze (P = 0.02) and rhinoconjunctivitis (P = 0.007). The amount of surface dust (P = 0.04) and (1,3)-beta-glucan concentration dust (P = 0.03) were associated with elevated FeNO. CONCLUSION: Endotoxin in office dust could be a risk factor for wheeze and rhinoconjunctivitis among office workers in mechanically ventilated offices in a tropical country. The amount of dust and (1,3)-beta-glucan (a marker of indoor mould exposure) were associated with Th2 driven airway inflammation.
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| 14. |
- Naudin, Sabine, et al.
(author)
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Healthy lifestyle and the risk of pancreatic cancer in the EPIC study
- 2020
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In: European Journal of Epidemiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0393-2990 .- 1573-7284. ; 35:10, s. 975-986
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly fatal cancer with currently limited opportunities for early detection and effective treatment. Modifiable factors may offer pathways for primary prevention. In this study, the association between the Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI) and PC risk was examined. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort, 1113 incident PC (57% women) were diagnosed from 400,577 participants followed-up for 15 years (median). HLI scores combined smoking, alcohol intake, dietary exposure, physical activity and, in turn, overall and central adiposity using BMI (HLIBMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR, HLIWHR), respectively. High values of HLI indicate adherence to healthy behaviors. Cox proportional hazard models with age as primary time variable were used to estimate PC hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Sensitivity analyses were performed by excluding, in turn, each factor from the HLI score. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated assuming participants’ shift to healthier lifestyles. The HRs for a one-standard deviation increment of HLIBMI and HLIWHR were 0.84 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.89; ptrend = 4.3e−09) and 0.77 (0.72, 0.82; ptrend = 1.7e−15), respectively. Exclusions of smoking from HLIWHR resulted in HRs of 0.88 (0.82, 0.94; ptrend = 4.9e−04). The overall PAF estimate was 19% (95% CI: 11%, 26%), and 14% (6%, 21%) when smoking was removed from the score. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle was inversely associated with PC risk, beyond the beneficial role of smoking avoidance. Public health measures targeting compliance with healthy lifestyles may have an impact on PC incidence.
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| 15. |
- Tahir, Haroon Elrasheid, et al.
(author)
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HPLC-DAD, GC-MS, UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS2, ICP-MS and FT-NIR combined with the chemometrics explain seasonal variation in Cassia senna L. leaves from the coast of Red Sea in Sudan
- 2023
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In: South African Journal of Botany. - : Elsevier. - 0254-6299 .- 1727-9321. ; 163, s. 20-29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Crops reveal considerable capability to regulate their phytochemicals and trace element contents to seasonal changes in temperature and rainfalls. In this study, we have measured the secondary metabolites, volatiles, and trace elements of Cassia senna L leaves collected from the Red Sea State, Sudan during winter 2018, summer 2019, and autumn 2020. Chemical profiles were evaluated by High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD), Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC); Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS), Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR). 46 metabolites, 33 volatile compounds, and 13 elements were reported. The findings suggested significant seasonal variations in sennoside (A-B) compounds, which were reported to have positive health effects. In this study, aloesin was identified for the first time in senna leaves. Analysis of seasonal variations was obtained by principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant model. Additionally, chemical markers for each harvest season were reported. Overall, the number of metabolites and volatiles identified as a function of the season was autumn > summer> winter. Our results have enhanced the knowledge of the selection of harvesting time, with the best characteristics for the intended therapeutic application.(c) 2023 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 16. |
- Tahir, Haroon Elrasheid, et al.
(author)
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Smart films fabricated from natural pigments for measurement of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content of meat for freshness evaluation : A systematic review
- 2022
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In: Food Chemistry. - : Elsevier. - 0308-8146 .- 1873-7072. ; 396
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Major databases were searched from January 2012 to August 2021 and 54 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis to estimate the overall mean of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) in meat. The mean of TVB-N was 24.96 mg/100 g (95 % CI:23.10-26.82). The pooled estimate of naphthoquinone, curcumin, anthocyanins, alizarin and betalains were 25.98 mg/100 g (95 %CI:19.63-32.33), 30.03 mg/100 g (95 %CI: 24.15-35.91), 24.92 mg/100 g (95 %CI: 22.55-27.30), 23.37 mg/100 g (95 %CI:19.42-27.33) and 19.50 mg/100 g (95 % CI:17.87-21.12), respectively. Meanwhile, subgroups based on meat types showed that smart film was most used in aquatic products at 27.19 mg/100 g (95 %CI:24.97-29.42), followed by red meat at 19.69 mg/100 g (95 % CI:17.44-21.94). Furthermore, 4 degrees C was the most storage temperature used for testing the performance of smart films at 25.48 mg/100 g (95 %CI:23.05-27.90), followed by storage at 25 degrees C of 25.65 mg/100 g (95 % CI:22.17-29.13). Substantial heterogeneity was found across the eligible studies (I-2 = 99 %, p = 0.00). The results of the trim-and-fill method demonstrated publication bias was well controlled.
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| 17. |
- Tahir, Haroon Elrasheid, et al.
(author)
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The use of analytical techniques coupled with chemometrics for tracing the geographical origin of oils : A systematic review (2013-2020)
- 2022
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In: Food Chemistry. - : Elsevier. - 0308-8146 .- 1873-7072. ; 366
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The global market for imported, high-quality priced foods has grown dramatically in the last decade, as consumers become more conscious of food originating from around the world. Many countries require the origin label of food to protect consumers need about true characteristics and origin. Regulatory authorities are looking for an extended and updated list of the analytical techniques for verification of authentic oils and to support law implementation. This review aims to introduce the efforts made using various analytical tools in combination with the multivariate analysis for the verification of the geographical origin of oils. The popular analytical tools have been discussed, and scientometric assessment that underlines research trends in geographical authentication and preferred journals used for dissemination has been indicated. Overall, we believe this article will be a good guideline for food industries and food quality control authority to assist in the selection of appropriate methods to authenticate oils.
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| 18. |
- Abrams, P, et al.
(author)
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The future of urology
- 2012
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In: European urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7560 .- 0302-2838. ; 61:3, s. 534-540
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 19. |
- Adman, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Associations between air pollutants and peak expiratory flow and fractional exhaled nitric oxide in students
- 2020
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In: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. - : INT UNION AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS LUNG DISEASE (I U A T L D). - 1027-3719 .- 1815-7920. ; 24:2, s. 189-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Studies on the effects of outdoor air pollution on the respiratory health of students in tropical countries such as Malaysia are limited. OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between outdoor air pollutants and peak expiratory flow (PEF) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). METHOD: PEF and FeNO levels of 487 students recruited in Melaka and Putrajaya, Malaysia, were measured in April and June 2014. Multiple linear regression with mutual adjustment was used to analyse the associations between exposure to air pollution and health. RESULTS: PEF was significantly associated with ozone for 1-day exposure (beta = -13.3 l/min, 95% CI -22.7 to -3.8), carbon monoxide for 2-day exposure (beta =-57.2 l/min, 95% CI -90.7 to -23.7) and particulate matter <= 10 mu m in diameter for 3-day exposure (beta =-6.0 l/min, 95% CI -9.2 to -2.8) and 7-day exposure (beta = -8.6 l/min, 95% CI -13.0 to -4.1). Stratified analysis showed that associations between PEF and outdoor air pollutant exposures were similar in students with and without elevated FeNO levels. CONCLUSION: Outdoor air pollution in Malaysia may cause airway obstruction unrelated to eosinophilic airway inflammation among students as measured using FeNO.
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| 20. |
- Al-Hashimi, Osamah, et al.
(author)
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A Comprehensive Review for Groundwater Contamination and Remediation: Occurrence, Migration and Adsorption Modelling
- 2021
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In: Molecules. - Switzerland : MDPI. - 1431-5157 .- 1420-3049. ; 26:19, s. 5913-5913
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The provision of safe water for people is a human right; historically, a major number of people depend on groundwater as a source of water for their needs, such as agricultural, industrial or human activities. Water resources have recently been affected by organic and/or inorganic contaminants as a result of population growth and increased anthropogenic activity, soil leaching and pollution. Water resource remediation has become a serious environmental concern, since it has a direct impact on many aspects of people’s lives. For decades, the pump-and-treat method has been considered the predominant treatment process for the remediation of contaminated groundwater with organic and inorganic contaminants. On the other side, this technique missed sustainability and the new concept of using renewable energy. Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) have been implemented as an alternative to conventional pump-and-treat systems for remediating polluted groundwater because of their effectiveness and ease of implementation. In this paper, a review of the importance of groundwater, contamination and biological, physical as well as chemical remediation techniques have been discussed. In this review, the principles of the permeable reactive barrier’s use as a remediation technique have been introduced along with commonly used reactive materials and the recent applications of the permeable reactive barrier in the remediation of different contaminants, such as heavy metals, chlorinated solvents and pesticides. This paper also discusses the characteristics of reactive media and contaminants’ uptake mechanisms. Finally, remediation isotherms, the breakthrough curves and kinetic sorption models are also being presented. It has been found that groundwater could be contaminated by different pollutants and must be remediated to fit human, agricultural and industrial needs. The PRB technique is an efficient treatment process that is an inexpensive alternative for the pump-and-treat procedure and represents a promising technique to treat groundwater pollution.
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| 21. |
- Alsaffar, Abdul Kareem K., et al.
(author)
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Development of eco-friendly wall insulation layer utilising the wastes of the packing industry
- 2023
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In: Heliyon. - : Elsevier. - 2405-8440. ; 9:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Efficient thermal insulation materials considerably lower power consumption for heating and cooling of buildings, which in turn minimises CO2 emissions and improves indoor comfort conditions. However, the selection of suitable insulation materials is governed by several factors, such as the environmental impact, health impact, cost and durability. Additionally, the disposal of used insulation materials is a major factor that affects the selection of materials because some materials could be very toxic for humans and the environment, such as asbestos-containing materials. Therefore, there is a continuous research effort, in both industry and academia, to develop sustainable and affordable insulation materials. In this context, this work aims at utilising the packing industry wastes (cardboard) to develop an eco-friendly insulation layer, which is a biodegradable material that can be disposed of safely after use. Experimentally, wasted cardboard was collected, cleaned, and soaked in water for 24 h. Then, the wet cardboard was minced and converted into past papers, then cast in square moulds and left in a ventilated oven at 75 °C to dry before de-moulding them. The produced layers were subjected to a wide range of tests, including thermal conductivity, acoustic insulation, infrared imaging and bending resistance. The obtained results showed the developed material has a good thermal and acoustic insulation performance. Thermally, the developed material had the lowest thermal conductivity (λ) (0.039 W/m.K) compared to the studied traditional materials. Additionally, it successfully decreased the noise level from 80 to about 58 dB, which was better than the efficiency of the commercial polyisocyanurate layer. However, the bending strength of the developed material was a major drawback because the material did not resist more than 0.6 MPa compared to 2.0 MPa for the commercial polyisocyanurate and 70.0 MPa for the wood boards. Therefore, it is recommended to investigate the possibility of strengthening the new material by adding fibres or cementitious materials.
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| 22. |
- Chun, N., et al.
(author)
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Activation of complement factor B contributes to murine and human myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury
- 2017
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The pathophysiology of myocardial injury that results from cardiac ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is incompletely understood. Experimental evidence from murine models indicates that innate immune mechanisms including complement activation via the classical and lectin pathways are crucial. Whether factor B (f B), a component of the alternative complement pathway required for amplification of complement cascade activation, participates in the pathophysiology of myocardial I/R injury has not been addressed. We induced regional myocardial I/R injury by transient coronary ligation in WT C57BL/6 mice, a manipulation that resulted in marked myocardial necrosis associated with activation of fB protein and myocardial deposition of C3 activation products. In contrast, in f13(-/-) mice, the same procedure resulted in significantly reduced myocardial necrosis (% ventricular tissue necrotic; fB(-/-) mice, 20 4%; WT mice, 45 3%; P< 0.05) and diminished deposition of C3 activation products in the myocardial tissue (fB(-/-) mice, 0 0%; WT mice, 31 6%; P<0.05). Reconstitution of fB(-/-) mice with WT serum followed by cardiac I/R restored the myocardial necrosis and activated C3 deposition in the myocardium. In translational human studies we measured levels of activated fB (Bb) in intracoronary blood samples obtained during cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery before and after aortic cross clamping (AXCL), during which global heart ischemia was induced. Intracoronary Bb increased immediately after AXCL, and the levels were directly correlated with peripheral blood levels of cardiac troponin I, an established biomarker of myocardial necrosis (Spearman coefficient = 0.465, P < 0.01). Taken together, our results support the conclusion that circulating fB is a crucial pathophysiological
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Hashim, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
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Pattern of novel psychoactive substance use among patients presented to the poison control centre of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Egypt : A cross-sectional study
- 2022
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In: Heliyon. - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8440. ; 8:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) are relatively new substances in the illicit drug market, notpreviously listed in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC). Strox and Voodoo are consideredsome of the most popular blends of NPS in the Egyptian drug market.Objectives: The current study was conducted to assess NPS's use pattern: Voodoo and Strox among acutelyintoxicated patients presented to the poison control center of Ain Shams University Hospitals (PCC- ASUH).Methods: A single center based cross-sectional study was carried out in the PCC-ASUH among acutely intoxicatedpatients presenting to the emergency department (ED) over four months (from January–April 2019. using apreviously adopted and validated Fahmy and El-Sherbini socioeconomic scale (SES). Data were presented asmean, median and range as appropriate. Both smoking and crowding indexes were calculated and presented aspreviously reported.Results: Fifty-one patients were presented to the ED of PCC-ASUH during the study period. A total of 96.1% (n ¼49) were males. The mean age was 25 7.5 years. The most common NPS used was Strox: 54.9% (n ¼ 28),followed by Voodoo: 27.4% (n ¼ 14). Neurological and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were the most frequentpresentations. The most common motive behind NPS use was the desire to give a trial of new psychoactivesubstances. The mean SES score was 35.1 13.17. Most patients have the preparatory as the highest education36.0% (n ¼ 18).Conclusions: NPS use is common among young males in preparatory education from different social classes,starting it most commonly as a means to experiencing a new high. Neurological and GI manifestations are themost common presenting symptoms of NPS intoxication.
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| 25. |
- Hashim, Fatma A., et al.
(author)
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An efficient adaptive-mutated Coati optimization algorithm for feature selection and global optimization
- 2023
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In: Alexandria Engineering Journal. - : ELSEVIER. - 1110-0168 .- 2090-2670. ; 85, s. 29-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The feature selection (FS) problem has occupied a great interest of scientists lately since the highly dimensional datasets might have many redundant and irrelevant features. FS aims to eliminate such features and select the most important ones that affect classification performance. Metaheuristic algorithms are the best choice to solve this combinatorial problem. Recent researchers invented and adapted new algorithms, hybridized many algorithms, or enhanced existing ones by adding some operators to solve the FS problem. In our paper, we added some operators to the Coati optimization algorithm (CoatiOA). The first operator is the adaptive s-best mutation operator to enhance the balance between exploration and exploitation. The second operator is the directional mutation rule that opens the way to discover the search space thoroughly. The final enhancement is controlling the search direction toward the global best. We tested the proposed mCoatiOA algorithm in solving) in solving challenging problems from the CEC'20 test suite. mCoatiOA performance was compared with Dandelion Optimizer (DO), African vultures optimization algorithm (AVOA), Artificial gorilla troops optimizer (GTO), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), Fick's Law Algorithm (FLA), Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Harris hawks optimization (HHO), and Tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA). According to the average fitness, it can be observed that the proposed method, mCoatiOA, performs better than the other optimization algorithms on 8 test functions. It has lower average standard deviation values compared to the competitive algorithms. Wilcoxon test showed that the results obtained by mCoatiOA are significantly different from those of the other rival algorithms. mCoatiOA has been tested as a feature selection algorithm. Fifteen benchmark datasets of various types were collected from the UCI machine-learning repository. Different evaluation criteria are used to determine the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed mCoatiOA achieved better results in comparison with other published methods. It achieved the mean best results on 75% of the datasets.
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| 26. |
- Hashim, Khalid S., et al.
(author)
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Adsorption of fluoride on a green adsorbent derived from wastepaper: Kinetic, isotherm and characterisation study
- 2023
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In: Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. - : Elsevier. - 2666-0164. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The excessive concentration of fluoride (F−) in water represents a grave problem for several countries, especially those that depend on groundwater as a main source of drinking water. Therefore, many treatment methods, such as chemical precipitation and membrane, were practised to remove F− from water. However, the traditional methods suffer from many limitations, such as the high cost and the slowness. Hence, many studies have been directed towards developing novel and effective water defluoridation methods. In this context, the current study investigates the development of an eco-friendly adsorbent by extracting Ca, Al, and Fe from industrial by-products, precipitating them on sand particles, and using this new adsorbent to remove F− from water. The removal experiments were commenced under different pH levels (3-10), contact times (0–240 minutes) and concentrations of F− (7.5–37.5 mg/L). X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction Investigator (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) methods were used to characterise the green adsorbent. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic studies were also conducted to define the adsorption type. The results confirmed that the new adsorbent could remove as high as 86% of F− at pH, contact time, agitation speed and adsorbent dose of 10, 180 minutes, 200 rpm and 15 mg/L, respectively. The characterisation studies prove the occurrence of the sorption process and the suitability of the morphology of the adsorbent for F− removal. Adsorption kinetics follow better with a pseudo-first-order model that indicates the predominance of physisorption, which agrees with the FTIR results. The isotherm study indicated that Langmuir isotherm is more suitable for representing data with an R2 value of 0.992, which means the adsorption of F− occurs as monolayer adsorption on homogeneous sites on the surface of the new adsorbent. In summary, it can be concluded that the developed adsorbent in this study could be a promising alternative to the traditional F− removal methods.
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| 27. |
- Hashim, M., et al.
(author)
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Association of Childhood Emotional Maltreatment with Adolescents’ Psychopathology : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- 2024
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In: Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. - : SAGE Publications. - 1524-8380 .- 1552-8324.
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Childhood Emotional Maltreatment (CEM) is a significant but under-studied risk factor for impaired mental health, with adolescents being particularly susceptible. This systematic review and meta-analysis, prospectively registered in PROSPERO as CRD42022383005, aims to synthesize the findings of studies investigating the association between CEM and adolescent psychopathology, making it the first attempt to the best of our knowledge. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Embase, and ProQuest) yielded 12,224 studies, from which 72 were included in the qualitative synthesis. The meta-analysis was conducted on 76 effect sizes (ranging from 0.01 to 0.57) extracted from 56 studies. The assessment of publication bias utilized funnel plots, Egger’s regression test, and the trim and fill method, if required. Additionally, a predictor analysis investigated the influence of study-level variables on the CEM-psychopathology association. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between CEM and adolescent psychopathology (Pooled association: 0.24–0.41) Furthermore, assessment of publication bias indicated no significant bias. The predictor analysis suggested minimal influence of study-level variables. The study underscores the urgent need to address CEM as a crucial risk factor for adolescent psychopathology. The significant positive correlation between CEM and psychopathological outcomes highlights the detrimental effects of CEM on adolescents. Awareness, prevention efforts, and targeted interventions are essential to mitigate these effects. Further studies with culturally diverse and larger sample sizes are required, with emphasis on methodological rigor, given that most of the identified studies showed a high risk of bias.
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| 28. |
- Kanai, A., et al.
(author)
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New therapeutic targets to prevent benign prostatic enlargement and symptomatic progression to benign prostatic obstruction-ICI-RS 2023
- 2023
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In: Neurourology and Urodynamics. - 0733-2467.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AimsBenign prostatic enlargement (BPE) can impact lower urinary tract function due to its potential progression to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). Treatment options include removal of the obstruction by surgery or through use of therapeutics designed to slow growth or reduce tissue stress imposed by muscular stromal components. Inflammation and development of fibrosis can also raise intrinsic tissue stress within the gland, further impacting obstruction. Outflow tract obstruction can also impact emission and ejaculation if the obstruction persists.MethodsThis review summarizes an ICI-RS think tank considering novel drug treatments that might address BPO caused by progressive development of BPE, as well as manage decompensation changes to bladder function.ResultsTopics included recent advances in our understanding of pathological changes occurring to the prostate and other lower urinary tract tissues during progressive development of BPE, and how prevention or reversal might benefit from the identification of novel drug targets. These included contractile properties of prostatic tissues, the impact of BPE and its effects on bladder function, the deposition of intramural fibrotic tissue with protracted BPO, the role of inflammation in the development of BPE and its progression to BPO. In particular, we discussed current therapeutic options for treating BPE/BPO, and new therapeutic targets, what they treat and their advantage over current medications.ConclusionSeveral new drug targets were identified, including soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), the receptor for nitric oxide (NO center dot), and sGC activators that promotes sGC-mediated cGMP production when sGC is inactivated and unresponsive to NO center dot.
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| 29. |
- Kashif, M., et al.
(author)
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Morphological, optical, and Raman characteristics of ZnO nanoflakes prepared via a sol-gel method
- 2012
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In: PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE. - : Wiley-VCH Verlag Berlin. - 1862-6300. ; 209:1, s. 143-147
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two-dimensional (2D) ZnO nanoflakes were grown on thin aluminum layer, deposited on silicon substrate, using a sol-gel method. The surface morphologies of ZnO nanoflakes at different precursor concentrations were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Combined studies of SEM, photoluminescence (PL), and Raman spectroscopy suggested that nanorods started to grow along with nanoflakes at a precursor concentration of 0.05 M and the density of the nanorods significantly increased when the concentration was raised to 0.075 M. Both the UV-luminescence and Raman spectra were intensified and redshifted with the increment of precursor concentration. Spectral intensification suggests improvement in crystal qualities and better optical properties of the fabricated ZnO nanostructures. The structural defects at lower levels of precursor were probably due to the hypoxic environment, whereas, the redshift of PL and Raman spectra was due to the local heating of ZnO nanocrystals.
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| 30. |
- King, J.K., et al.
(author)
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Towards a better understanding between non-Muslim primary care clinicians and Muslim patients : A literature review intended to reduce health care inequities in Muslim patients
- 2023
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In: Health Policy OPEN. - : Elsevier. - 2590-2296. ; 4
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although Muslims are a growing population within many non-Muslim countries, there are insufficient Muslim clinicians to care for them. Studies have shown that non-Muslim clinicians have limited knowledge and understanding of Islamic practices affecting health, which may lead to disparities in the quality of healthcare delivery and outcomes when caring for Muslim patients. Muslims come from many different cultures and ethnicities and have variations in their beliefs and practices. This literature review provides some insights which may strengthen therapeutic bonds between non-Muslim clinicians and their Muslim patients resulting in improved holistic, patient-centered care in the areas of cancer screening, mental health, nutrition, and pharmacotherapy. Additionally, this review informs clinicians about the Islamic perspective on childbirth, end of life issues, travel for Islamic pilgrimage, and fasting during the month of Ramadan. Literature was sourced by a comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL along with hand screening of citations. Title and abstract screening followed by full-text screening excluded studies including less than 30% Muslim participants, protocols, or reporting results deemed irrelevant to primary care. 115 papers were selected for inclusion in the literature review. These were grouped into the themes of general spirituality, which were discussed in the Introduction, and Islam and health, Social etiquette, Cancer screening, Diet, Medications and their alternatives, Ramadan, Hajj, Mental health, Organ donation and transplants, and End of life. Summarizing the findings of the review, we conclude that health inequities affecting Muslim patients can be addressed at least in part by improved cultural competency in non-Muslim clinicians, as well as further research into this area.
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Tan, Sieting, et al.
(author)
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A holistic low carbon city indicator framework for sustainable development
- 2017
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In: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 185, s. 1919-1930
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many cities are pursuing the low-carbon practices to reduce CO2 and other environmental emissions. However, it is still unclear which aspects a low-carbon city (LCC) covers and how to quantify and certify its low carbon level. In this paper, an indicator framework for the evaluation of LCC was established from the perspectives of Economic, Energy pattern, Social and Living, Carbon and Environment, Urban mobility, Solid waste, and Water. A comprehensive evaluation method was employed for LCC ranking by using the entropy weighting factor method. The benchmark values for LCC certification were also identified. The framework was applied to 10 global cities to rank their low-carbon levels. The comparison of cities at different levels of economic, social, and environmental development enhances the holistic of the study. The results showed that Stockholm, Vancouver, and Sydney ranked higher than the benchmark value, indicating these cities achieved a high level of low-carbon development. São Paulo, London, and Mexico City are still in the slow transition towards LCC. Beijing and New York each has much lower LCC level than the benchmark value due to the poor environmental performance and infrastructure supports caused by intensive human activities. The proposed indicator system serves as a guideline for the standardization of LCC and further identifies the key aspects of low-carbon management for different cities.
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| 35. |
- Tan, Sieting, et al.
(author)
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Economical and environmental impact of waste-T o-energy (WTE) alternatives for waste incineration, landfill and anaerobic digestion
- 2014
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In: Energy Procedia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; , s. 704-708
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper aims to evaluate the economical and environmental impact of waste incineration, landfill gas recovery system (LFGRS), and anaerobic digestion (AD) for municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Malaysia and subsequently assess the potential of each technology for energy uses and carbon reduction. An existing landfill, Taman Beringin, in Malaysia is selected as the case study, which is one of the largest national sites for waste management. The results present that incineration is the most economical profitable and climate-friendly WTE alternative as compared to an conventional landfill. With the production of 1430 MWh/d of heat and 480 MWh/d of electricity from 1000 t/d of MSW input, waste incineration is able to reach 287% of profit increment or 450 TUSD/d and 2250 tCO2/d of carbon avoidance by fossil fuel replacement as compared to baseline.
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| 36. |
- Tan, S. T., et al.
(author)
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Energy and emissions benefits of renewable energy derived from municipal solid waste : Analysis of a low carbon scenario in Malaysia
- 2014
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In: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 136, s. 797-804
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ineffective waste management that involves dumping of waste in landfills may degrade valuable land resources and emit methane gas (CH4), a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2). The incineration of waste also emits polluted chemicals such as dioxin and particle. Therefore, from a solid waste management perspective, both landfilling and incineration practices pose challenges to the development of a green and sustainable future. Waste-to-energy (WtE) has become a promising strategy catering to these issues because the utilisation of waste reduces the amount of landfilled waste (overcoming land resource issues) while increasing renewable energy production. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the energy and carbon reduction potential in Malaysia for various WtE strategies for municipal solid waste (MSW). The material properties of the MSW, its energy conversion potential and subsequent greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are analysed based on the chemical compositions and biogenic carbon fractions of the waste. The GHG emission reduction potential is also calculated by considering fossil fuel displacement and CH4 avoidance from landfilling. In this paper, five different scenarios are analysed with results indicating a integration of landfill gas (LFG) recovery systems and waste incinerator as the major and minor WtE strategies shows the highest economical benefit with optimal GHG mitigation and energy potential. Sensitivity analysis on the effect of moisture content of MSW towards energy potential and GHG emissions are performed. These evaluations of WtE strategies provides valuable insights for policy decision in MSW management practices with cost effective, energy benefit, environmental protection.
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| 37. |
- Tan, S. T., et al.
(author)
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SMART : An Integrated Planning and Decision Support Tool for Solid Waste Management
- 2014
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In: Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 1570-7946. ; 33, s. 271-276, s. 271-276
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solid waste management (SWM) system combined waste streams, waste collection, treatment and disposal methods are critically important to a regional, to achieve environmental economic and societal benefits. Decision-makers often have to rely on optimization models to examine a cost effective, environmentally sound waste management alternative. This paper presents a new systematic framework for long term effective planning and scheduling of SWM. This framework has been converted into software called Solid Waste Management Resource Recovery Tool (SMART). SMART is a first-of-a-kind SWM tool to facilitate the tradeoffs analysis between technical, economical, and environmental at national, regional, state, province, or community level. This simple tool is useful for decision makers for the selection of MSW technology including incineration, landfill, composting and recycling are while minimising the costs and meet CO2 reductions target. The developed tool was applied in Iskandar Malaysia as a case study.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
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