Geographic Assessment of the Perception of Nature Reserves and National Parks in Kuwait

The Arabian Gulf countries have passed strict laws to preserve their environment. Kuwait has a strong history with preserving natural areas. The ecological value and richness of Kuwait\u27s ecosystems have increased since the nature reserves were built. This research has evaluated the perceptions that Kuwaitis have of the design, creation, and development of nature reserves in Kuwait. It involved the use of survey instruments (questionnaires) and interviews with respondents of both urban and rural communities. Data from these surveys and interviews analyzed regarding perceptions of nature reserves\u27 needs, sizes, functions, and future plans. The results of examinations (surveys) demonstrate that the public believes that nature reserves in Kuwait are necessary for the protection and health of the environment (82%). Moreover, these results indicate that the public understands the importance of preserving nature reserves in Kuwait and that the government should pay more attention to this issue (82.8%). The Kuwaiti government has shown reluctance towards establishing new nature reserves, despite the public\u27s understanding that protecting Kuwaiti environment requires establishing new nature reserves. There is a relationship between the public\u27s perception of nature reserves and the government\u27s protection of green spaces. The public perceived that the natural areas\u27 protection laws as insufficient for truly protecting the environment and there should be policies and regulations enacted to protect nature reserves and the wildlife in Kuwait (82.4%). This research can be a stepping stone in understanding the opinions of the people of Kuwait of the planning, management, and future plans for the nature reserves. Also, it can be used as a basis for developing best practices in nature reserve and national park management in Kuwait. Keywords: Perceptions, Kuwait, Nature reserves, National parks

Profiling and characterization of different propolis samples and their activities against trypanosoma brucei, trypanosoma congolense and crithidia fasciculata

It is becoming increasingly clear that one of the major biological activities of propolis is antiprotozoal activity. This study aimed to investigate the chemical profile of different propolis samples and examine their in vitro activity of against the protozoal parasites: Crithidia fasciculata, Trypansoma congolense, drug resistant Trypansoma congolense (6C3), Trypanosoma b. brucei and pentamidine resistant Trypanosoma brucei (B48), which cause disease in humans and other animals as well as insects. In addition, the samples were assayed for their toxicity against human U937 cells and murine RAW 246.7 cells in vitro. Chemical profiling was conducted by using negative ion spray ESI (LC-MS) with principal components analysis (PCA) of the data obtained and indicated that there was a wide variation in the composition of the propolis samples. The active principles were targeted for isolation by bioassay-led fractionation, using medium pressure chromatographic (MPLC) and/or other chromatographic methods, including column chromatography CC, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) and Solid-phase extraction (SPE). Twenty pure compounds were isolated, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Twelve triterpenoid compounds were identified from Papua New Guinea propolis as: mangiferonic acid (1), isomangiferolic acid (2), 27- hydroxyisomangiferolic acid (3), cycloartenol (4), ambonic acid (5), ambolic acid (6), 24- methylenecycloartenol (7), cycloeucalenol (8), 20-hydroxybetulin (9), botulin (10), betulinic acid (11) and madecassic acid (12). Three flavanones were isolated from Tanzanian and Zambian propolis, two of them were found to be novel compounds. They were characterized based on their spectral and physical data and identified as 6-(1,1-dimethylallyl) pinocembrin (13) and 5-hydroxy-4″,4″-dimethyl-5”-methyl-5”-H-dihydrofuranol [2”,3”,6,7] flavanone (15). While the other compound was a known compound 6-(1,1-dimethylallyl) eriodictyol (14). Fractionation of a Nigerian propolis sample yielded of five known flavanones, isoflavan and the isoflavonoids 7-O-methylvestitol (16), neovestitol (17), vestitol (18), medicarpin (19) and 7-hydroxyflavanone (20). The samples had high levels of activity against T. congolense and T. b..brucei and moderate activity against Crithidia fasciculata. The crude sample extracts displayed a high selectivity index against kinetoplastid parasites compared to mammalian cells. The Tanzanian, Zambian and Nigerian propolis extracts were found to be more active than their purified compounds in these assays. A growth curve of T. brucei at concentrations ≥ EC50 of the most active purified compounds in these assays was conducted and found that 20-hydroxybetuline was trypanostatic with an IC50 of 2.04 μg/ml against T. b. brucei. Overall, the propolis extracts showed lower toxicity than the purified compounds to both U937 and RAW 26.7 cells.It is becoming increasingly clear that one of the major biological activities of propolis is antiprotozoal activity. This study aimed to investigate the chemical profile of different propolis samples and examine their in vitro activity of against the protozoal parasites: Crithidia fasciculata, Trypansoma congolense, drug resistant Trypansoma congolense (6C3), Trypanosoma b. brucei and pentamidine resistant Trypanosoma brucei (B48), which cause disease in humans and other animals as well as insects. In addition, the samples were assayed for their toxicity against human U937 cells and murine RAW 246.7 cells in vitro. Chemical profiling was conducted by using negative ion spray ESI (LC-MS) with principal components analysis (PCA) of the data obtained and indicated that there was a wide variation in the composition of the propolis samples. The active principles were targeted for isolation by bioassay-led fractionation, using medium pressure chromatographic (MPLC) and/or other chromatographic methods, including column chromatography CC, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) and Solid-phase extraction (SPE). Twenty pure compounds were isolated, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Twelve triterpenoid compounds were identified from Papua New Guinea propolis as: mangiferonic acid (1), isomangiferolic acid (2), 27- hydroxyisomangiferolic acid (3), cycloartenol (4), ambonic acid (5), ambolic acid (6), 24- methylenecycloartenol (7), cycloeucalenol (8), 20-hydroxybetulin (9), botulin (10), betulinic acid (11) and madecassic acid (12). Three flavanones were isolated from Tanzanian and Zambian propolis, two of them were found to be novel compounds. They were characterized based on their spectral and physical data and identified as 6-(1,1-dimethylallyl) pinocembrin (13) and 5-hydroxy-4″,4″-dimethyl-5”-methyl-5”-H-dihydrofuranol [2”,3”,6,7] flavanone (15). While the other compound was a known compound 6-(1,1-dimethylallyl) eriodictyol (14). Fractionation of a Nigerian propolis sample yielded of five known flavanones, isoflavan and the isoflavonoids 7-O-methylvestitol (16), neovestitol (17), vestitol (18), medicarpin (19) and 7-hydroxyflavanone (20). The samples had high levels of activity against T. congolense and T. b..brucei and moderate activity against Crithidia fasciculata. The crude sample extracts displayed a high selectivity index against kinetoplastid parasites compared to mammalian cells. The Tanzanian, Zambian and Nigerian propolis extracts were found to be more active than their purified compounds in these assays. A growth curve of T. brucei at concentrations ≥ EC50 of the most active purified compounds in these assays was conducted and found that 20-hydroxybetuline was trypanostatic with an IC50 of 2.04 μg/ml against T. b. brucei. Overall, the propolis extracts showed lower toxicity than the purified compounds to both U937 and RAW 26.7 cells

A Study of Z-Transform Based Encryption Algorithm

It has become increasingly important to ensure the protection of information, especially data in transit. Therefore, it is the primary goal of any encryption algorithm to safeguard the protection of information against security attacks. It is equally important to design high-performance solutions with affordable cost of implementation. Encryption algorithms are used to transform plain text to the ciphertext in order to protect privacy, prevent data fraud, and prevent unauthorized access of data in daily transactions. There are multiple types of encryption algorithms, each with its niche tactics to enhance security. For instance, different kinds of algorithms include but are not limited to the following: Blowfish, RSA, AES, DES, Triple DES. This paper contributes an efficient and secure encryption algorithm technique for information security based on Z transformation and XOR function known as the Z Transformation Encryption (ZTE) technique. To elaborate, this technique implements concepts of Z transformation and XOR operations at the source. The reverse process is applied at the receiving end of the transaction wherein the inverse of Z transformation and XOR is applied to reveal the original plain text message. The simulation of the proposed algorithm is conducted using the R language. The results show a promising performance comparing to other symmetric algorithms

Workability and compressive strength of eco-friendly concrete based on waste ceramic particles

Eco-materials are becoming the one of the important matters to be addressed in industries and academics owing to reduce the impact of synthetic materials on environment. On the other hand, waste materials have becoming an equal important matter in term of disposal and their impact on environment. In civil engineering, exploring any potential eco-materials for structural components is the ambition of many engineering and environmental researchers. In this project, an attempt is made to explore the potential of using waste ceramic particles in concrete. The structure and the compressive characteristics of the developed materials with different waste ceramic particle percent are investigated. Different concrete samples were prepared and tested. The failure mechanisms were determined after the completion of the experiments. The optimum percent of waste ceramic particles in concreate were determined from workability, compressive strength and structure of the concrete. Compressive strength of the developed concretes were tested at different curing duration of 7, 14 and 28 days. Visual examination and scanning electron microscope were used to observe the failure mechanism. The experimental results were in high agreement with the published recent and related works. The content of the waste ceramic particle controlled all the characteristics of the ceramics, i.e. workability, compressive strength, and the structure. Increase in the content of the waste ceramic particles deteriorate the strength of the concrete especially at content of above 25 wt. %. Despite of that the reduction in the strength at low percent of waste ceramic particle were within the industrial recommended ranges. Also, from environmental point of view, a promising results are identified and 25 wt % of waste ceramic particles in concrete is highly recommend. The failure of the concreate was commonly due to the crack generation and/or propagation in the bonding region of the particles and the cement. At high percent of waste ceramic particles, there is micro- and mac-cracks propagated which resulted in the poor performance of the concreate at this high percent of particle

Recent advances in the Biosynthesis of Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles and their Biological Applications

أثار أكسيد الزركونيوم  ZrO2  اهتمام الباحثين في جميع أنحاء العالم، لا سيما منذ تطوير طرق لتصنيع جزيئات بحجم النانو. تم تحفيز الدراسة المكثفة في تكوين الجسيمات النانوية باستخدام تقنيات تركيبية مختلفة، بالإضافة إلى استخداماتها المحتملة، من خلال كفاءتها الضوئية العالية، وفجوة النطاق العريض، وطاقة ربط الأكسيتون العالية. في تغليف المواد الغذائية، يمكن استخدام الجسيمات النانوية لثاني أكسيد الزركونيوم كعوامل مضادة للميكروبات ومضادة للسرطان. استجابةً للاهتمام المتزايد بـ nano ZrO2 ، ابتكر الباحثون وطوروا طرقًا لتركيب الجسيمات النانوية. تم مؤخرًا إنشاء مركبات ZrO2 النانوية ذات الأشكال المختلفة باستخدام طرق بيولوجية ("الكيمياء الخضراء"). تساهم كل من الميكروبات والنباتات في إنتاج الزركونيا في المختبر. يتم توفير عوامل التثبيت بواسطة الجزيئات الحيوية الموجودة في المستخلصات النباتية، بينما يتم توفير الإنزيمات بواسطة الكائنات الحية الدقيقة كعوامل للتغطية والتثبيت (داخل الخلايا أو خارج الخلية). من الممكن تحليل الجسيمات النانوية المنتجة باستخدام مجموعة متنوعة من الأساليب التحليلية، بما في ذلك التحليل الطيفي للأشعة فوق البنفسجية المرئية، وحيود الأشعة السينية (XRD) ، والمجهر الإلكتروني للإرسال (TEM) ، والتحليل الطيفي للأشعة تحت الحمراء (FT-IR). عند تطبيقها على البكتيريا (موجبة الجرام وسالبة الجرام) والفطريات، تظهر ZrO2NPs قدرات واعدة مضادة للجراثيم. تعتبر الخلايا الطبيعية والخبيثة حساسة للجسيمات النانوية ZrO2 ، والتي يمكن تفسيرها من خلال توليد الأكسجين التفاعلي (ROS). يناقش هذا العمل ويصف الطرق العديدة لإنتاج جسيمات ZrO2 النانوية، بالإضافة إلى خصائصها وإمكانيات التطبيق المختلفة.A critical milestone in nano-biotechnology is establishing reliable and ecological friendly methods for fabricating metal oxide NPs. Because of their great biodegradable, electrical, mechanical, and optical qualities, zirconia NPs (ZrO2NPs) attract much interest among all zirconia NPs (ZrO2NPs). Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) has piqued the interest of researchers throughout the world, particularly since the development of methods for the manufacture of nano-sized particles. An extensive study into the creation of nanoparticles utilizing various synthetic techniques and their potential uses has been stimulated by their high luminous efficiency, wide bandgap, and high exciton binding energy. Zirconium dioxide nanoparticles may be used as antimicrobial and anticancer agents in food packaging. In response to the growing interest in nano ZrO2, researchers invented and developed methods for synthesizing nanoparticles. ZrO2 nanocomposites with various morphologies have recently been created using biological (green chemistry) methods. Microbes and plants both contribute to the production of zirconia in the laboratory. Capping and stabilizing agents are provided by the biomolecules found in plant extracts, whereas microorganisms provide enzymes as capping and stabilizing agents (intracellular or extracellular). It is possible to analyze the nanoparticles produced using a variety of analytical approaches, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). When applied to bacteria (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative) and fungi, ZrO2NPs show promising antibacterial capabilities. Normal and malignant cells are sensitive to ZrO2 nanoparticles, which can be explained by the generation of reactive oxygen (ROS). This work discusses and describes many ways of producing ZrO2 nanoparticles, their properties, and various application possibilities

Revolucionando la educación especial del inglés como lengua extranjera: cómo ChatGPT está transformando la forma en que los profesores abordan el aprendizaje de idiomas

This mixed-methods study explored the attitudes of 199 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) special education teachers towards using ChatGPT for language learning. The survey questionnaire, consisting of 21 items, examined attitudes, effectiveness, barriers, and the future use of ChatGPT. The results revealed that participants held moderate attitudes, perceiving ChatGPT as moderately effective with moderate barriers. While no significant differences were found between male and female teachers in attitudes and effectiveness, significant gender differences emerged in the future use of ChatGPT, with female teachers exhibiting a greater willingness to embrace it. Follow-up email interviews with five participants provided valuable insights into strategies, effectiveness, challenges, and inclusivity when using ChatGPT in language instruction for special education students. These findings contribute to implementing and developing ChatGPT as a language learning tool for EFL special education students, emphasizing the importance of gender-inclusive approaches and practical considerations to enhance its efficacy.Este estudio de métodos mixtos exploró las actitudes de 199 profesores de educación especial de inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL) hacia el uso de ChatGPT para el aprendizaje del idioma. El cuestionario de encuesta, compuesto por 21 ítems, examinó las actitudes, la efectividad, las barreras y el uso futuro de ChatGPT. Los resultados revelaron que los participantes tenían actitudes moderadas, percibiendo a ChatGPT como moderadamente efectivo con barreras moderadas. Si bien no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los profesores hombres y mujeres en cuanto a actitudes y efectividad, surgieron diferencias de género significativas en el uso futuro de ChatGPT, siendo las profesoras mujeres las que mostraron una mayor disposición a adoptarlo. Entrevistas de seguimiento por correo electrónico con cinco participantes proporcionaron información valiosa sobre estrategias, efectividad, desafíos e inclusión al usar ChatGPT en la enseñanza del idioma para estudiantes de educación especial. Estos hallazgos contribuyen a implementar y desarrollar ChatGPT como herramienta de aprendizaje de idiomas para estudiantes de educación especial de EFL, enfatizando la importancia de enfoques inclusivos de género y consideraciones prácticas para mejorar su eficacia

Precision dosing of venlafaxine during pregnancy: a pharmacokinetics modelling approach

Objectives: Venlafaxine exposure through gestation is affected by the longitudinal changes in maternal physiology. Confounding treatment is also the impact of CYP2D6 polymorphisms affecting plasma concentrations of venlafaxine. Methods: A pharmacokinetic modelling approach was employed to assess variations in maternal and foetal cord venlafaxine levels throughout gestation and to identify appropriate doses to maintain venlafaxine levels within the therapeutic range. Key findings: Throughout gestation, there was a significant decrease in simulated venlafaxine trough plasma concentrations in both extensive metaboliser (EM) and ultra-rapid metaboliser (UM) phenotypes. Approximately 70%–87% of EM and UM phenotypes exhibited trough venlafaxine plasma concentrations below the therapeutic level (<25 ng/ml), which increased to 96% at week 30. While for poor metabolizer (PM) phenotypes, the percentage was approximately 4%. Conclusion: The standard daily dose of 75 mg required adjustment for all phenotypes examined during gestation. A daily dose of 37.5–112.5 mg is appropriate for PM throughout pregnancy. For EM, a dose of 225 mg daily in the first trimester, 262.5 mg daily in the second trimester, and 375 mg daily in the third trimester is suggested to be optimal. For UM, a dose of 375 mg daily throughout gestation is suggested to be optimal

Overview of the Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Children Vaccinations: A Systematic Review

Background: It is the parents' responsibility to vaccinate their children. As a result, parents' attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about vaccination are critical because they influence their activities toward timely and full immunization.  Objectives: This systematic review comprehensively investigated the recently published literature on parents’ knowledge regarding children’s vaccination.  Methods: PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to include the relevant literature. Rayyan QRCI was used throughout this systematic approach. Results &amp; interpretation: This review included twenty-four studies with a total of 13082 parents, and 70.9% were mothers. Knowledge level about children’s vaccination among parents was significantly related to their fathers' age, education level, women's employment status, and family type. Younger mothers were found to have a higher level of expertise. Good knowledge levels and positive attitudes towards the seasonal influenza vaccine were reported. Good knowledge with caution was reported among parents regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination: All of them reported low vaccination rates and willingness to vaccinate their children. The findings of our study highlight the significance of parental understanding of vaccinations and immunization. Health officials should make additional efforts to promote the benefits of vaccination while emphasizing the risks of non- or late pediatric immunization

“It's a lot more complicated than it seems”: physiotherapists' experiences of using compensation strategies in people with Parkinson's

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record. Data availability statement: The datasets presented in this article are not readily available to protect confidentiality. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to [email protected]: Gait disturbances often result in functional limitations in daily activities and negatively impact the quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease. Physiotherapists often employ compensation strategies in an attempt to improve patients’ walking. However, little is known about physiotherapists’ experiences in this regard. We evaluated how physiotherapists adopt compensation strategies and what they draw on to inform their clinical decision-making. Methods: We carried out semi-structured online interviews with 13 physiotherapists with current or recent experience working with people with Parkinson’s disease in the United Kingdom. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was utilized. Results: Two main themes were developed from the data. The first theme, optimizing compensation strategies through personalized care, shows how physiotherapists accounted for the individual needs and characteristics of people with Parkinson’s, which resulted in them individually tailoring compensation strategies. The second theme, delivering compensation strategies effectively, considers the available support and perceived challenges with work settings and experience that impact physiotherapists’ ability to deliver compensation strategies. Discussion: Although physiotherapists strived to optimize compensation strategies, there was a lack of formal training in this area, and their knowledge was primarily acquired from peers. Furthermore, a lack of specific knowledge on Parkinson’s can impact physiotherapists’ confidence in maintaining person-centered rehabilitation. However, the question that remains to be answered is what accessible training could address the knowledge–practice gap to contribute to the delivery of better personalized care for people with Parkinson’s.National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration South West PeninsulaMinistry of Education, Saudi Arabi