DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF NOVEL PACKAGING SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE BRUISING DAMAGE IN FRUITS DURING HANDLING AND TRANSPORTATION

Drop tests were performed at heights of 200 mm and 500 mm onto wood and steel surfaces to replicate real-world transportation conditions. The results showed that packaging greatly reduces bruising, with the Triangular and Circular designs yielding the best performance. Unprotected pears experienced the most damage, especially on steel surfaces, with bruise volumes reaching 5659 mm3. The Triangular design achieved the highest reduction in bruising, up to 91.99%, confirming its effectiveness in absorbing impact forces. Statistical and regression analyses confirmed that drop height and impact surface significantly influence bruising, but their impacts are reduced with packaging (R2 > 0.92). This study lays the groundwork for optimizing fruit packaging to reduce mechanical damage and enhance supply chain efficiency. The suggested packaging designs present a cost-effective and scalable solution for fruit transporters and agricultural producers. The use of 3D printing boosts customizability and sustainability, offering a promising technology for future packaging innovations. These findings contribute to better industry standards, ensuring higher-quality produce reaches consumers with less damage

The protective role of lidocaine in surgeries involving trigeminal nerve manipulation: a meta-analysis of trigeminocardiac reflex prevention.

The trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) is activated when the trigeminal nerve is manipulated through mechanical pressure, traction, or irritation. This leads to a rapid increase in parasympathetic activity, resulting in a decrease in heart rate (HR) and blood pressure, which can potentially lead to bradycardia, and cardiac arrest, with a prevalence of 14.5% during neurointerventional procedures (8). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of lidocaine injection on preventing TCR during cranial surgeries. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL electronic databases for clinical trials comparing the use of lidocaine versus placebo, or no intervention for TCR prevention during cranial surgeries up until 20 May 2024. Meta-analyses were performed using fixed-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed using I-squared and Chi-square tests. A total of five studies involving 421 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The incidence of TCR was significantly lower in the lidocaine group compared to the control group, with a risk ratio of 0.05 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.37, P = 0.003). Additionally, the lidocaine group had a relatively small change in HR, with a mean difference of -10.56 (95% CI -13.30 to -7.83 beat per minute, P = 0.00001). No statistically significant difference in mean arterial pressure was observed between the two groups (MD -5.15, 95% CI [-10.38 to 0.08 mmHg], P = 0.09). Our results suggest that lidocaine may be effective in preventing TCR and stabilizing HR. The use of lidocaine could be considered a prophylactic measure during cranial surgeries. Further studies are needed to investigate the optimal dose and timing of lidocaine administration.Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors

Consensus (Ijmāʿ) in the Legal Thought of Yusuf AlQaradawi: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Applications

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى بيان منهج الشيخ يوسف القرضاوي في تأصيل الإجماع وتطبيقه، مع التركيز على مسائل الحج كنموذج تطبيقي. وتبحث في مدى صحة الادعاءات التي تزعم مخالفته للإجماع الفقهي، من خلال تحليل اجتهاداته ومقارنتها بالمقررات الأصولية المعتمدة. اعتمدت الدراسة المنهج الاستقرائي لتحليل كتاباته حول الإجماع، إلى جانب المنهجين التحليلي والمقارن لدراسة المسائل التي نسبت إليه فيها مخالفة الإجماع. خلصت الدراسة إلى أن الشيخ القرضاوي لم ينكر حجية الإجماع، بل اعتمده في اجتهاداته، وأن كثيرًا من الادعاءات حول مخالفته له غير دقيقة. ومع ذلك، كشفت الدراسة عن بعض الإشكالات في توظيفه لدليل الإجماع. وتوصي الدراسة بأهمية التحقق من تحقق الإجماع قبل الاستدلال به أو الادعاء بمخالفته، وتعزيز الحوار الأكاديمي لضبط الاجتهادات الفقهية ضمن أطر منهجية رصينة.Objective: This study aims to elucidate Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s methodology in establishing juristic consensus (Ijmāʿ) and applying it, with a focus on issues related to Hajj as a case study. It investigates the validity of claims alleging his contravention of juristic consensus by analyzing his juristic interpretations (ijtihādāt) and comparing them with established jurisprudential principles . Methodology: The study employs an inductive approach to analyze his writings on consensus, alongside analytical and comparative methodologies to examine the issues in which he is alleged to have diverged from consensus . Results: The study concludes that Sheikh Al-Qaradawi did not deny the authority of consensus; rather, he relied on it in his juristic interpretations. It also finds that many claims regarding his breach of consensus are inaccurate. However, the study reveals some methodological issues in his use of consensus as a juristic principle. Recommendation: The study recommends the importance of verifying the establishment of consensus before invoking it or claiming its violation, as well as promoting academic dialogue to refine juristic interpretations within robust methodological frameworks

THE EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENT AND MICROSTRUCTURES ON THE CORROSION PROPERTIES OF ALCOCRFENI HIGH ENTROPY ALLOYS

High-entropy alloys have emerged as promising materials in NaCl environment operations due to their superior strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance. This paper investigates the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of an AlCoCrFeNi HEA alloy after annealing. treatment at 1000 °C and 1200 °C . The alloy was produced via arc melting in an argon environment and underwent 48 hours of annealing in a high-temperature tube furnace to achieve uniform heat distribution. Results showed that higher annealing temperatures led to a greater degree of microstructural refinement and uniformity achieved by the reduced Ni3Al phase fraction as well as enhanced phase stability. The HEA with 1200 °C exhibited exceptional mechanical properties, having an average yield strength of 947 MPa and an average ultimate tensile strength of 1263 MPa, which surpasses Inconel 718 while maintaining considerable levels of ductility. Due to the highly stable Cr2O3 passive film, the 1200 °C annealed HEA was found to outperform SS316 L and 1000 °C HEA in corrosion resistance. The 1200 °C HEA was also observed to provide lower cost than Inconel 718 and lower reliability than SS316L for offshore environments when compared to conventional materials due to better performance in strength-to-corrosion ratio and economic efficiency

Comprehensive qualitative and quantitative assessment of the most suitable levels for maxillary and mandibular miniscrew insertion sites: A cross-sectional comparative study

IntroductionTo analyse the quality and quantity of inter-radicular buccal and palatal cortical bone in the maxillary and mandibular regions at the most recommended levels for miniscrew insertion sites in both sexes. MethodsThis retrospective, cross-sectional comparative study utilized Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans from 60 adult patients meeting the selection criteria. The analysis focused on Cortical Bone Thickness (CBT), Inter-radicular Space (IRS), and Relative Cortical Bone Density (RCBD) at eleven maxillary and six mandibular miniscrew insertion sites, measured at 4, 6, and 8mm from the cemento-enamel junction. ResultsCBT on the maxillary buccal side ranged from 0.85±0.13 to 1.32±0.14mm, with all palatal sites measuring at least 1mm. Palatal areas showed greater IRS than buccal sites, with no significant sex differences. RCBD indicated significant differences at 6mm (P=0.004) and 8mm (P=0.008), where females had higher density than males. In the mandible, CBT ranged from 1.20±0.22 to 2.63±0.36mm, with the lowest IRS in the canine-premolar region at 4mm and the highest in the molar area at 8mm. High densities were observed across levels without sex preference. ConclusionIt is advisable to position orthodontic miniscrews as far as possible in the attached gingiva of the maxillary buccal and mandibular canine-premolar regions. For maxillary palatal miniscrews, preferred insertion depths are 6mm in the premolar and 4mm in the molar regions, and predrilling at 6mm is recommended in the mandibular molar region. Limited sex differences were noted

UNDERSTANDING INFLATION IN AN IMPORT-RELIANT ECONOMY: EVIDENCE FROM SECTORAL CPI

An This thesis investigates inflation dynamics within a unique economic structure like Qatar, with particular focus on the food and beverage (F&B) sector from 2012-2023. It addresses how domestic household Consumer Price Index (CPI) is affected by global shocks, market structure, and government policies. Previous studies on inflation have largely emphasized traditional monetarist explanations which often overlook the roles of domestic stakeholders when reacting to a global shock. However, existing studies lacks deeper understanding within the context of Qatar's highly concentrated retail market and strategic economic policies. Employing descriptive trend analysis, comparative time series evaluations, and Spearman's rank correlation, the study uncovers the interactions among domestic and international economic indicators such as nominal and real GDP, import trends, and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Qatar, and FAO Food Price Index. The study provides three significant findings. First, Qatar's economy exposure to external shocks due to the volatility of its nominal GDP that is tied to global oil prices. Whereas stable real GDP suggests inflation is driven by prices more than production volume. Second, asymmetric price transmission is found within Qatar's F&B sector pricing dynamics. This is exemplified during 2015 as the FAO Food Price Index dropped by 23.5% while domestic CPI rise by 0.8%. Third, effective governmental approaches significantly mitigate the impact of imported inflation. This price stability is achieved through several key measures mainly through food strategi

SUDANESE TRANSIENT LABOR MIGRATION TO QATAR: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN SUDAN

The established primary incentive structure of South-South migration compels transient labor migrants in host destination countries to sustain relationships and connections with their families in their countries of origin. This motivation stems from the ongoing effort to meet their responsibilities including giving financial assistance for the expenses of living to their immediate families and relatives consistently. Therefore, these expenses enable migrant families to achieve a higher quality of living compared to non-migrant families in their communities. From this perspective, migration and remittances can have a mutually beneficial relationship, with migrants typically transferring financial and social remittances, which include both financial support and transfer of skills, ideas, experiences, practices, social norms, and values as a consequence of their migration. This study explores the impact of Sudanese transient labor migration to Qatar on social development in Sudan, emphasizing the impacts of social and financial remittances on education, health, housing, and gender dynamics within migrants' families. Nonetheless, transient labor migration across borders and the flow of financial and social remittances from host countries to home countries significantly impact quality of life. These impacts encompass fundamental services, such as education, healthcare, and housing to migrant families in developing countries. This is because South-South migration predominantly consists of migrants who are participating in temporary work abroad and legally obligated to return to their home countries upon completing their employment contracts. This dissertation employs a qualitative technique, inductive reasoning, and semi-structured interviews for Thirty-Three participants. This dissertation also adopts a constructivist perspective, and it is based on specific case studies of Sudanese with varying skills, male and female migrants in Qatar and their families in Sudan. The findings suggest that both financial and social remittances significantly improve the delivery of education, improved healthcare services, greater quality of life through better housing, increased or stable sources of income, and improved gender roles/relationships in Sudan, particularly within the framework of social development and the context of South-South migration. This leads to significant improvements in overall quality of life and accessibility to these services compared to the families of non-migrants in the same communities

A BRET-based Mpro biosensor containing a nanobody and tandem cleavage sites shows an increased cleavage rate

Here, we report the engineering of a Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-based SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) biosensor containing the Mpro N-terminal autocleavage sequence in tandem and a nanobody that shows an enhanced rate of Mpro-mediated proteolytic cleavage. Specifically, we designed Mpro biosensors containing 2×, 4× and 8× repeats of Mpro N-terminal autocleavage sequences and a combination of Mpro cleavage sequences containing a total of 12 cleavage sites sandwiched between mNeonGreen (mNG) and NanoLuc (NLuc). Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations of the predicted alpha-helical synthetic Mpro cleavage sequences revealed a dynamic nature of the cleavage sequences, which is critical for their efficient cleavage, and a relatively short end-to-end distances, which is required for high BRET. Live cell assays revealed a cleavage sequence length-dependent resonance energy transfer, except for the 12× -syn cleavage site, and an increased rate of cleavage and a decreased pharmacological inhibitor efficacy for the Mpro biosensor containing 2× cleavage sequences. Further, mutational analysis revealed a requirement for both cleavage sites to be intact for increased cleavage rate. Importantly, the inclusion of an Mpro-binding, but non-inhibiting, NB2E3 nanobody at the N-terminal further increased the cleavage rate of the 2× cleavage sequence-containing Mpro biosensor. We envisage that the NB2E3 nanobody-2× Mpro biosensor engineered here will be useful in drug discovery and functional characterization of Mpro mutants in newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as in detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection in a point-of-care testing (POCT) format.This work is supported by the Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) grant (# 28–264–3–092) awarded by the Qatar National Research Foundation (QNRF), Qatar Foundation and an internal funding from the College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of the Qatar Foundation. Some of the computational research work reported in the manuscript were performed using high-performance computer resources and services provided by the Research Computing group in Texas A&M University at Qatar. Research Computing is funded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (http://www.qf.org.qa). A.M.G. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from CHLS/HBKU. A.S., A.F., and S.M.N.U. were supported by scholarships from CHLS/HBKU

QATAR'S 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP: SPORTS DIPLOMACY, SOFT POWER AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF GLOBAL NARRATIVES

This dissertation focuses on analyzing how Qatar utilized soft power projection, geopolitical influence and strategic sports diplomacy as a tool via the 2022 FIFA World cup. Qatar was the first Arab and Middle Eastern country to host the tournament, it came under global scrutiny and negotiation of many political, diplomatic and cultural issues. This thesis closes this disparity by looking at how Qatar used the World Cup to counter Western criticism, alter foreign impressions, and support regional leadership. Three key questions that guide this research are as follows, (1) how did Qatar apply the World Cup as a soft power instrument? (2) How did any of this respond to Western criticism? Using what tactics? (3) How is the Qatari approach different from previous Global South hosts? In order to do this, the study uses a multi-method approach comprising autoethnography, discourse analysis, and comparative case studies and by means of media discourse analysis, official policy papers, and qualitative insights from event stakeholders. All the results reveal that Qatar took full advantage of the hosting of this World Cup to challenge the postcolonial narratives, to promote the sports-based diplomacy, and to compensate for the Western bias against the Qatari host, especially over the labor rights and government integrity issues. Three academic fields benefit significantly from this work. Through the soft power theory, Joseph Nye's worldview is broadened with the demonstration of how minor governments can use mega events as tools of international diplomacy. It demonstrates how Qatar challenged the Orientalist notions and became a regional leader through contestations in postcolonial and Gulf studies. Both policy recommendations and suggestions for next Global South hosts are also offered in this thesis based on a policy-based paradigm of diplomatic and sustainable event hosting in mega-event governance. In addition to this theoretical value, this study has policy ramifications for sport's governing bodies, pertinent host countries, and international organizations. The novelty of this thesis lies in providing a new paradigm for small-state diplomacy in relation to global sports governance, international relations and soft power in a multipolar world, which urges further academic debates in the junction of these three venues

Editorial: Experimental and computational methods in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for colon cancer

Cancer continues to be one of the major causes of illness and death worldwide. It is growing an alarming rate, and affects every geographic region of the world. Therefore, the goal is to investigate novel biomarkers both experimentally and computationally in the development of colon cancer and drug resistance. Computational methods play a crucial role in modern cancer research, facilitating drug discovery and improving therapeutic strategies (Ahmad et al., 2024; Shaikh et al., 2023). In this Research Topic, we aim to provide an overview of recent technologies in experimental and computational areas, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches, relevant to the identification of novel biomarkers and drug testing in cancer diagnosis, management, and treatment. Recent studies highlight three key areas: biomarker discovery, therapeutic developments, and computational modeling in cancer research. Grouping the studies under these themes provides a cohesive narrative, highlighting key trends and challenges in the field.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The author, FK, would like to thank the XJTLU Research Development Fund (RDF-22-02-090) for its support.Scopu