Comparing E-Cigarettes and Traditional Cigarettes in Relation to Myocardial Infarction, Arrhythmias, and Sudden Cardiac Death: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as a perceived safer alternative to traditional cigarettes has grown rapidly. However, the cardiovascular risks associated with e-cigarettes compared to regular cigarettes remain unclear. Objective: To systematically review and compare the cardiovascular outcomes of e-cigarette use versus traditional cigarette use, focusing on the risks of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and sudden death. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies published in English were included if they reported cardiovascular outcomes related to e-cigarette or traditional cigarette use. A total of 20 studies were included, covering observational and interventional studies focusing on heart rate variability, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac events. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE criteria, and data were extracted and analyzed based on the PICOS (Population, Interventions, Comparisons, Outcomes, and Study designs) framework. Results: The systematic review found that both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes pose significant cardiovascular risks, with traditional cigarettes linked to a higher incidence of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. E-cigarette users also face increased risks of arrhythmias and myocardial infarction compared to non-smokers, primarily due to the constituents of aerosolized e-liquid, including nicotine and flavorings, which contribute to adverse cardiac effects. Regular e-cigarette use, particularly in combination with traditional cigarette use, was associated with a heightened risk of myocardial infarction. Studies also reported heart function abnormalities, such as systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and reduced ejection fractions. Additionally, changes in heart rate variability, heart rate, and blood pressure were observed, indicating both acute and chronic effects of e-cigarettes on cardiovascular autonomic regulation. Conclusions: While e-cigarettes may present a lower cardiovascular risk compared to traditional cigarettes, they are not without harm. Both products are linked to increased risks of myocardial infarction and arrhythmias, though traditional cigarettes pose a higher overall threat. Given the limitations in the current evidence base, particularly concerning the long-term effects of e-cigarette use, further research is needed to clarify these cardiovascular risks and inform public health guidelines.This study is supported via funding from Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University project number (PSAU/2023/R/1445)

مقابلة الدكتور عبدالله صالح الخليفي

تناولت مقابلة الدكتور عبدالله الخليفي أهم الأحداث، المواقف، والتحديات التي واجهت الدكتور طوال مسيرته العلمية والعملية، حيث ترعرع الدكتور الخليفي في منطقة الغانم القديم، وتابع مسيرته العلمية داخل وخارج قطر، وحصل على درجة الدكتوراه في الاقتصاد من جامعة ساذرن الينوي الإمريكية، كما شغل منصب رئيس الجامعة لفترة 1999-2003، وساهم بشكل كبير في اتفاقات وشراكات مع جامعات وجهات متعددة لنفعة المجتمع الجامعي، وقد شغل منصب أمين عام مساعد للشؤون الاقتصادية تلبية لطلب الأمير الوالد حمد بن خليفة ال ثاني

Envisioning Urban Parks

Urban parks enhance cities' aesthetic appeal and play a crucial role in carbon absorption. However, some of the existing park designs have limited functionality and insufficient integration of educational and recreational elements, besides lacking community engagement, which results in a diminished sense of ownership. Moreover, many designs prioritize neither sustainability in construction nor clean energy (e.g., cement production alone contributes to approximately 90% of its carbon emissions from fossil fuels). To address these concerns, redesigning urban parks as sustainable, circular environments that align with nature, local heritage, and community needs is a priority. This envisioning aims to implement a thorough evaluation of the context and condition of any given park, yielding unique design concepts that adhere to both national and international sustainability standards and support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The team has done two case studies: (1) envisioning Al-Riyam and Kalbuh Parks as Ophiolite Land and (2) envisioning part of Al-Qurum Park as Blue Carbon. The new philosophy of these parks is based on inspiration from their natural surroundings, emphasizing principles of circularity and decarbonization. Their planning also includes suggesting the most suitable sustainable material alternatives, recycled options, and innovative solutions. Furthermore, there is a focus on the efficiency of resources and waste management, for example, through integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind trees, and utilizing processes like electrocoagulation for greywater recycling while incorporating drought-resistant flora. Additionally, the designs will leverage advanced technologies (e.g., AI and hologram) and provide multizones for health, education, and entertainment, featuring diverse facilities and activities. This project serves as a model for envisioning sustainable urban parks worldwide, reflecting the interconnectedness of human experiences and the environment under the title: from human to human by human

Optimizing Soil for Sustainable Agriculture with Treated Wastewater

This research explores the use of treated wastewater as a sustainable resource for agriculture in Oman by assessing its impact on soil properties. However, by conducting the concept in an agricultural region, the research investigates changes in both disturbed and undisturbed soils when treated effluent is used for irrigation. Moreover, laboratory tests were performed to determine the physical and chemical properties of soil and water before and after the application of treated wastewater. Therefore, the results showed that the treated wastewater increased the soil’s hardness due to the migration of salinity elements such as chloride, sodium, and magnesium, enhancing the productivity of the soil. In addition, this study offers significant insights into utilizing treated wastewater for agricultural productivity, supporting sustainable development and groundwater recharge in Oman. In the end, it concludes that treated wastewater when properly filtered through the soil, it can improve soil properties and serve as a valuable resource for sustainable agricultural practices

Renewable Energy’s Role in Disease Prevention

In the last few years, seeking to modernize the economy of emerging countries and manage the exponential increase of the world population, industrialists overlooked the impact that their activities have on the environment and public health. This oversight has led to significant environmental consequences such as acid precipitation,air pollution,ozone depletion, forest destruction and emission of radioactive substances. This alienation poses a threat to human health making it compulsory for the sustainable development tools and methods to take action in our modern world. One of the most effective and efficient solutions is the use of Renewable Energy (RES). RES, which currently represents 14% of the total world energy demand, is naturally replenished and is considered clean energy. It includes biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind and marine energies. Developed societies are globally adopting more sustainable approaches in all industries driven by the fact that it has become a necessity for preserving our resources for the next generations through reducing waste, minimizing air pollution, etc. All that to protect people from health issues such as lung dysfunction, asthma attacks, and other respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. This study will provide energy engineers and decision-makers with a comprehensive and scientific analysis about the role of RES in disease prevention and how to overcome barriers to its broader adoption

The Water Wheels Car: A Sustainable Solution for Transportation

The rapid depletion of fossil fuel reserves and growing environmental concerns have spurred the search for alternative energy sources for transportation. The Water Wheels Car, a concept rooted in the idea of using water as a fuel source, aims to revolutionize the automotive industry by integrating water-powered hydrogen fuel cells. This paper explores the scientific principles, challenges, and potential solutions associated with developing such a vehicle. The study analyzes how hydrogen can be extracted from water, stored, and used in fuel cells to power an automobile. By conducting an in-depth review of current technologies, their efficiency, and limitations, we assess the feasibility of implementing a Water Wheels Car. Additionally, this paper evaluates the environmental and economic benefits of shifting towards water-fueled transportation

Towards a Sustainable Future of Smart Cities: IoT-Based Smart Waste Management System

As cities become increasingly populated, in this research a smart waste management system for Al-Duqm smart city is proposed. This fact will utilize the advanced technologies as one of Oman vision 2040 for the fulfilment of the goals intended. The efficiency of waste collection, transportation and disposal will be improved, reduced cost and environmentally sustainable if managed through the system. In light of such challenges, the following smart waste management system for Al-Duqm smart city is presented. This versatile system will be based on the modern technologies: IoT technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning for set up waste collection, transport and elimination. Such as the buildup of waste in dustbin and dumpsters, IoT devises can be utilized to track and manage the buildup of wastes by enabling timely collection. The proposed hardware for this project are: an Atmega microcontroller, ESP8266 Wi-Fi module, HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, LCD display, buzzer, and various electronic elements. Software infrastructure includes the Arduino compiler and IOT Gecko platform, programmed in the C language. Likewise, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can provide a real-time prediction and identify efficient routes, frequency and transport modes and methods of waste collection thus reduce waste management cost. Besides increasing effectiveness and decreasing expenses, smart waste management systems also can deliver a major environmental effect as well. If the waste collection, transportation and disposal are effectively managed, then the fuel burned in waste collection vehicles will be less and therefore carbon emission standards as well as other polluting agents will also lessen. Also, a smart waste management system helps to avoid putrid smell through taking more waste from landfills through recycling as well as composting process therefore reducing more negative impacts of landfill on the environment. Thus, it is recommended that – Al-Duqm smart city should adopt an efficient and effective strategy of waste management utilizing modern technologies and using different methods of waste collection and transportation to make it economical and environment friendly

Treatment of Oral Thrush and Oral Ulcer

Oral candidiasis (OC), commonly referred to as “thrush” encompasses infections of the tongue and other oral mucosal sites and is characterized by fungal overgrowth and invasion of superficial tissues [1–3]. The colloquial term “thrush” refers to the resemblance of the white flecks present in some forms of candidiasis with the breast of the bird of the same name. The etymology of oral thrush dates back to the time of Hippocrates (around 400 Before Christ (BC)) who, in his book “Of the Epidemics,” described OC as “mouths affected with aphthous ulcerations” [4]. The early descriptions of the disease predated the concept of “contagion” and, therefore, as recently as the early 1900s, it was thought that the disease was of host origin. Approximately 200 years were required before the etiological agent of thrush was correctly identified as a fungal pathogen. In 1771, Rosen von Rosenstein defined an invasive form of thrush; however, in 1839, Langenbeck was credited with first documenting a fungus associated with thrush in a patient with typhoid fever [5,6]. In 1846, Berg presented observations that thrush was caused by a fungus, which was classified in 1847 by the French mycologist, Charles Philippe Robin as Oidium albicans, the first use of albicans which means “to whiten” [6,7]. In 1923, Berkhout reclassified the fungus under the current genus Candida, a name derived from the Latin word toga candida, referring to the white toga (robe) worn by Roman senators of the ancient Roman republic, a probable reference to the whitish colonies on agar or white lesions [6–8]. However, it was not until 1954 that the binomial Candida albicans was formally endorsed. In the 1980s, there was a clear surge of interest in oral candidal infections largely due to the increased incidence of OC because of the escalation in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, and, to date, OC remains the most common oral opportunistic infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals and in individuals with weakened immune systems [9–13]. In fact, the opportunistic nature of the infection was first highlighted by Hippocrates, who referred to this malady as “a disease of the diseased” [14]

Mobile Assisted Language Learning in Tunisia: The Use of Android Educational Applications both by Learners in English Clubs in the “Tunisian Houses of Culture” and by Academic Writers

This paper spotlights the possibility of integrating mobile assisted Language Learning in “English Clubs” in the Tunisian “Houses of culture”. Four research methods will be implemented: (1) a hybrid model which addresses sentiment analysis from visual content to analyze Android educational applications, (2) an evaluative checklist for these applications which is based on a modified version of Walker (2010), Schrock (2011), Van Houten (2011) and Vincent (2012) rubrics and models, (3) “Moderate Participant Observation” to observe learners’ use of Android applications in “English Clubs and (4) a Semi-Structured Interview to record academic researchers views about the major subject of the study. The three ultimate purposes of this research are: (1) to examine the designer’s use of visual content in his/her application and the emotional effect he wishes to have on the user (learner, researcher), (2) to investigate the extent to which the Android applications in use contribute to the teaching of vocabulary, reading, grammar and writing in the English language clubs in the Tunisian “houses of culture” and (3) to explore how do academic researchers see Android applications as helpful tools during self-editing their research papers. In the light of the findings, suggestions are made as to ways to improve the design and implementation of Android applications in other ESL contexts

ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF BRINE AND MITIGATING RISKS WITH OPTIMIZED PAN MEMBRANE IN FORWARD OSMOSIS

Desalination of both freshwater and seawater has been regarded as a practical and effective means of providing safe and dependable drinking water. Desalination is the process of purifying water to make it acceptable for human consumption by eliminating excess salt and other dissolved particles. However, seawater reverse osmosis (RO) desalination inevitably produces brine, a substance that comprises salt and various ions and elements that can potentially impair the local marine ecology and its biodiversity. The adverse impacts of brine, resulting from its high salinity, have emerged as a significant issue due to its inadequate disposal into marine environments. The initial objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of a chemically modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based nanocomposite membrane in the context of forward osmosis, with the specific objective of minimizing the adverse effects caused by reject brine. The forward osmosis (FO) experiments were conducted, and the modified nanocomposite membrane showed superior performance compared to the commercial membrane in terms of flux, reverse solute flux (RSF), specific reverse solute flux (SRSF), and salt rejection (R%). The optimal operational parameters in FO were determined by considering the pressure on the feed sides, the flow and concentration of draw side (DS), and the type of DS salt. Additionally, the utilization of RO brine and synthetic brine in FO was investigated, revealing that the nanocomposite membrane exhibited optimal values of RSF at 0.5487gMH and 0.4400gMH, respectively. On the other hand, it was noted that the commercial membrane exhibited low flow and high RSF values for RO brine, measuring at 25.24 LMH and 11.02 gMH. This can be explained due to the occurrence of internal concentration polarization (ICP) that might result in fouling and a reduction in flow. Subsequently, an ecological risk assessment was conducted to examine the ecological consequences of the brine before and after FO. The exposure assessment involved evaluating the physicochemical properties of brine. The ionic and elemental composition of synthetic and RO brines was analysed both following and prior to FO and was better understood using ICP-OES and IC analysis. The findings conveyed that the dilution percentage of the ions and elements was higher for the GOMPDHPAN membrane compared to the PAN membrane. Furthermore, the salinity parameter is an appropriate representation of both elements and ions in brine, as the bulk of elements consist of alkali and alkaline earth metals. The initial salinity of the RO brine significantly decreased with the use of the commercial membrane and reached its lowest level with the modified membrane. The exposure evaluation resulted in the generation of exposure concentrations that were directly linked to marine toxicity in the effects assessment, based on salinity. Subsequently, hazards associated with brine were determined by establishing a safe limit or benchmark for specific marine species based on the literature review. The results of the study indicated that salinity has frequently been employed as a measure of the marine toxicity of brine. Additionally, the concentrations of trace metals Mo, Cu, and Li were found to be below established benchmark limits, suggesting that they are not deemed toxic to the marine environment. The deterministic risk characterization approach was employed to assess the effects and exposure concentration in order to determine the risk quotient (RQ). Subsequently, probability distribution graphs were generated to illustrate the RQ, with point estimates serving as reference values. These estimates were utilized to depict the probability of risks resulting from brine exposure on the species. The results demonstrated that the chemically modified membrane efficiently diluted the concentration of harmful substances in brine. Additionally, the characterization phase of the ecological risk assessment (ERA) indicated that the use of the modified membrane lowered the risks of detrimental effects on the selected species or assessment endpoints