AN ADAPTIVE LOCALIZATION SYSTEM USING PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION IN A CIRCULAR DISTRIBUTION FORM

Tracking the user location in indoor environment becomes substantial issue in recent research High accuracy and fast convergence are very important issues for a good localization system. One of the techniques that are used in localization systems is particle swarm optimization (PSO). This technique is a stochastic optimization based on the movement and velocity of particles. In this paper, we introduce an algorithm using PSO for indoor localization system. The proposed algorithm uses PSO to generate several particles that have circular distribution around one access point (AP). The PSO generates particles where the distance from each particle to the AP is the same distance from the AP to the target. The particle which achieves correct distances (distances from each AP to target) is selected as the target. Four PSO variants, namely standard PSO (SPSO), linearly decreasing inertia weight PSO (LDIW PSO), self-organizing hierarchical PSO with time acceleration coefficients (HPSO-TVAC), and constriction factor PSO (CFPSO) are used to find the minimum distance error. The simulation results show the proposed method using HPSO-TVAC variant achieves very low distance error of 0.19 mete

LEADERS’ BEHAVIOUR AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AT ABU DHABI NATIONAL OIL COMPANY (ADNOC)

In both public and private businesses, to capacity building and sustenance of competitive advantage, the necessity of effective leadership has remained critical. Yet, leadership effectiveness has continued to be a multi-dimensional construct, and not many efforts have been done to conceptualise models in this level. In view of the case of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), to attain a more reliable model that is suitable for modern organisations, the major objective of the current study was to update and empirically support the traditional Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness. Leader characteristics and hierarchy structure are not suitable factors of leadership behaviour in the organisation. To validate the Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness through the assistance of data collected in the current study, a final effort was made. Data validates the traditional model of leadership to a large degree; this is particularly factual for task-oriented leadership behaviour as contrasting to relationship-oriented leadership behaviour. Future researchers should consider activity-based constructs for the measurement of variables to find more significant and validate critical relationships in the model. Furthermore, the ADNOC and other corporations are recommended in the region stretch equal attention to male and female employees and leaders. Where leader-subordinate relationships are critical for complete organisational accomplishment, females would predominantly endeavour in positions.JEL: L20; L22; L72  Article visualizations

CONSTRUCTING LEADERS’ BEHAVIOUR AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS TOWARD ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AT ABU DHABI NATIONAL OIL COMPANY (ADNOC) IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

The need for effective leadership has remained critical to capacity building and sustenance of competitive advantage in both public and private businesses. Nonetheless, leadership effectiveness has remained a multi-dimensional construct, and not many attempts have been made to conceptualise models in this area. Considering the case of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the principal aim of the present study was to update and empirically support the traditional Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness in order to achieve a more credible model useful to contemporary organisations. It was observed that leader characteristics and hierarchy structure are not good determinants of leadership behaviour in the organisation. A final attempt was made to validate the Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness with the help of data gathered in the present study. Data validates the traditional model of leadership to a large extent; this is especially true for task-oriented leadership behaviour as opposed to relationship-oriented leadership behaviour. It is recommended that future researchers consider activity-based constructs for the measurement of variables to obtain more significant and validate critical relationships in the model. It is also recommended that ADNOC and other corporations in the region give equal attention to male and female employees and leaders. Females would particularly strive in positions where leader-subordinate relationships are critical for overall organisational success.  Article visualizations

LEADERS’ BEHAVIOUR AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS TOWARD ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AT ABU DHABI NATIONAL OIL COMPANY (ADNOC)

To capacity building and sustenance of competitive advantage in both public and private businesses, the need for effective leadership has remained critical. However, leadership effectiveness has persisted a multi-dimensional construct, and not many efforts have been finished to conceptualise models in this extent. In view of the case of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the major objective of the current study was to update and empirically support the traditional Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness to attain a more reliable model that is suitable for modern organisations. It was detected that leader characteristics and hierarchy structure are not decent factors of leadership behaviour in the organisation. A final effort was made to validate the Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness through the assistance of data collected in the current study. Data validates the traditional model of leadership to a large degree; this is particularly factual for task-oriented leadership behaviour as contrasting to relationship-oriented leadership behaviour. It is suggested that future researchers consider activity-based constructs for the measurement of variables to find more significant and validate critical relationships in the model. It is also suggested that ADNOC and other corporations in the region stretch equal attention to male and female employees and leaders. Females would predominantly endeavour in positions where leader-subordinate relationships are critical for complete organisational accomplishment.  Article visualizations

Assessment of Calotropis natural dye extracts on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

ArticleThis work presents the construction and testing of solar cells sensitized with natural dyes extracted from plants indigenous to the desert. Calotropis plants are self - sufficient as they grow in very harsh environments, and yet are not consumed by humans or livestock due to their irritating agents to the skin and eyes. The energy generators of these plants are the leaves, which are crushed and processed to produce the dye solution. Also, the Calotropis leaves are covered in a white powder that is thought to aid in mitigating the heat by scattering incident radiation. This powder material is examined and added to the dye as it proved advantageous for the o verall cell efficiency, which reached 0.214% compared with 0.108% for cells with no powder. The produced cells are also compared with ones sensitized by spinach, another common natural sensitizer for dye - sensitized solar cells, and the performance proved t o be significantly better. The fact that Calotropis is a non - food plant is an added advantage to utilizing it as a dye source, along with its intrinsic heat resistance that allows it to survive the harsh desert conditions all year round

Evaluating the Performance of PV Modules in Buildings (BIPV/BAPV) and the Soiling Effect in the UAE Desert Setting

This paper assesses the performance of photovoltaic (PV) technologies integrated into buildings in the desert climate and the factors that affect energy yield. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) and standard monocrystalline silicon (c-Si) modules were installed facing south, in the three more common tilt angles used in the Building Applied Photovoltaics (BAPV) and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) applications at the Dubai latitude (90°, 25°, and 0°). We monitored the energy production, the temperature of the PV modules, irradiance on each tilt angle, and the meteorological parameters for a full year. We then calculated the performance ratio for the six modules to evaluate the different factors, including temperature and soiling losses, following IEC 61724-1. The 25° modules, usual PV rooftop angle, had the highest and more consistent energy yield throughout the year. Conversely, the energy yield of the 90° modules, typical angle for facades, vertical shading devices, and guardrails, had the lowest yield and showed wide variations. This is expected as the 90° angle is more affected by the seasonal changes of the solar altitude. The soiling losses on these modules were lower than 1%. However, at 0°, the soiling loss was more evident, with an average reduction of 10.79%. The c-Si module at 25° generated the highest normalized energy yield of 402.02 kW h/m2, which was 23.5% more than that of CdTe module with the same tilt angle.The authors would like to acknowledge Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for funding this research, Dr. Sgouris Sgourdis, Director of Research from DEWA R&D, for his valuable inputs, and Dr. Jim John, Ahmad Safieh, Ammar Elnosh, and Omar Albadwawi, members of the DEWA R&D Solar Area, for their support

Enhancing construction safety education : Insights from student perspectives

Construction safety education is crucial as it ensures worker well-being, improves construction quality, and contributes to sustainable infrastructure development and safeguarding lives. This study aims to examine students’ perceptions of construction safety education. A structured questionnaire survey aligned with the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) safety topics was used to collect data from students on their understanding of construction safety topics (CSTs). Data were gathered from 161 students and analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, mean calculations, standard deviation measurements, normalization value, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and correlation analysis. The findings reveal a strong awareness and interest in fire safety, with variations across engineering faculties, academic years, and specific topics, suggesting the need for tailored educational strategies to improve construction safety knowledge and align education with industry needs. This study represents the first investigation into students’ comprehension of CSTs in Saudi Arabia. The study insights can guide decisionmakers in refining existing curriculums, ensuring students develop a strong understanding of safety protocols in construction projects. By aligning education with industry requirements, policymakers can enhance the preparedness of graduates, promoting safer practices in engineering. This contributes to the overall economic and safety progress of nations

PREDICTORS OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION IN DUBAI, A RAPIDLY GROWING MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health problem adversely affecting mothers, their newborns, and other members of the family. Although PPD is common and potentially dangerous, only a minority of the cases are identified in primary health care settings during routine care, and the majority of depressed mothers in the community lies unrecognized and therefore untreated. Subjects and methods: In this study, a total of 1500 mothers were approached randomly, 808 accepted to participate, and 504 were within the inclusion criteria (women who had a birth of a singleton full-term healthy infant, had an uncomplicated pregnancy, and were within their one week to six months postpartum). The participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Results: A total of 168 women had an EPDS score 10, yielding a crude prevalence rate of 33%. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 14 out of 504 (3%), among which 11 (79%) had EPDS score of 10. We fitted multiple linear regression models to evaluate the predictors of variables measured on the EPDS scale. This model was statistically significant p<0.0001 in predicting the total EPDS score. Women\u27s employment status, baby\u27s birth weight, stressful life event and marital conflict were statistically significant predictors. Conclusions: The findings of this study are anticipated to entail the government and policy makers in the region to pay more attention to the apparently high prevalence of unrevealed PPD in the community. It is crucial to enhance screening mechanisms for early detection, providing interventions to manage symptoms, and at the same time mandating local guidelines to address the PPD pathology as a high priority for the UAE population

Sexually transmitted diseases knowledge assessment and associated factors among university students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDIs) remain a serious public health menace with over 350 million cases each year. Poor knowledge of STDIs has been identified as one of the bottlenecks in their control and prevention. Hence, assessment of knowledge, both general and domain-specific, is key to the prevention and control of these diseases. This study assessed the knowledge of STDIs and identified factors associated with STDI knowledge among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study among 778 UAE University students across all colleges. An online data collection tool was used to collect data regarding the participants' demographics and their level of knowledge of STDIs across different domains including general STDI pathogens knowledge (8 items), signs and symptoms (9 items), mode of transmission (5 items), and prevention (5 items). Knowledge was presented both as absolute and percentage scores. Differences in STDI knowledge were statistically assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared tests. Logistic regression models were further used to identify factors associated with STDI knowledge.ResultsA total of 778 students participated in the study with a median age of 21 years (IQR = 19, 23). The overall median STDI knowledge score of the participants was 7 (out of 27), with some differences within STDI domains–signs &amp; symptoms (1 out of 9), modes of transmission (2 out of 5), general STDI pathogens (2 out of 8), and prevention (1 out of 5). Higher STDI knowledge was significantly associated with being non-Emirati (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.24–2.75), being married (OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.50–5.56), residing in emirates other than Abu Dhabi (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.16–2.25), and being a student of health sciences (OR = 4.45, 95% CI = 3.07–6.45).ConclusionIn general, STDI knowledge was low among the students. Having good knowledge of STDIs is essential for their prevention and control. Therefore, there is a need for informed interventions to address the knowledge gap among students, youths, and the general population at large