Improvement in Environmental Management Performance in Ashghal Projects

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) of Qatar is responsible for countrywide infrastructure and public building projects starting from their planning stages and through design, procurement, construction, operation, and maintenance stages. This includes highways, local roads, surface water drainage networks, foul sewers, treated sewage effluent systems, schools and hospitals. Considering the large number of projects with construction activities ongoing at the same time, it is a challenge to develop a unique and standardized tool for monitoring of environmental management performance of each project, each department or Ashghal wide. Being a supportive department to all other Ashghal departments, with a main role of ensuring the conformity of projects to environmental regulations and standards, Quality and Safety Department (QSD) of Ashghal has started several initiatives to improve environmental management performance of projects. This paper provides a brief information about some of those initiatives, such as a portal for monthly reporting of environmental management performance (EPMS), a unique annual award which was developed to increase awareness for sustainable practices in construction and assist in guiding minimization and/or reduction of adverse environmental impacts caused by construction projects (Ashghal Green Award); and a list of Ashghal approved third-party environmental service providers which will be used as a vendor list in all Ashghal projects. In addition, Ashghal QSD chemical and microbiological laboratories as well as mobile noise and air quality monitoring trucks serve to support projects departments to improve environmental impacts resulted from construction activities on the environmental sensitive receptors located within or nearby the project

GSK3β Regulates Differentiation and Growth Arrest in Glioblastoma

Cancers are driven by a population of cells with the stem cell properties of self-renewal and unlimited growth. As a subpopulation within the tumor mass, these cells are believed to constitute a tumor cell reservoir. Pathways controlling the renewal of normal stem cells are deregulated in cancer. The polycomb group gene Bmi1, which is required for neural stem cell self-renewal and also controls anti-oxidant defense in neurons, is upregulated in several cancers, including medulloblastoma. We have found that Bmi1 is consistently and highly expressed in GBM. Downregulation of Bmi1 by shRNAs induced a differentiation phenotype and reduced expression of the stem cell markers Sox2 and Nestin. Interestingly, expression of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), which was found to be consistently expressed in primary GBM, also declined. This suggests a functional link between Bmi1 and GSK3β. Interference with GSK3β activity by siRNA, the specific inhibitor SB216763, or lithium chloride (LiCl) induced tumor cell differentiation. In addition, tumor cell apoptosis was enhanced, the formation of neurospheres was impaired, and clonogenicity reduced in a dose-dependent manner. GBM cell lines consist mainly of CD133-negative (CD133-) cells. Interestingly, ex vivo cells from primary tumor biopsies allowed the identification of a CD133- subpopulation of cells that express stem cell markers and are depleted by inactivation of GSK3β. Drugs that inhibit GSK3, including the psychiatric drug LiCl, may deplete the GBM stem cell reservoir independently of CD133 status

Integrating soil and land use concepts into environmental impact assessments: A case study for the sugozu power plant

A practical methodology for the evaluation of potential soil quality and land use impacts of large-scale industrial investments has been studied. For this purpose, generalized methodologies that are applicable to a variety of development projects are presented with the aid of a specific environmental impact assessment (EIA) study. The EIA study was carried out for the Sugozu Power Plant (SPP) currently under construction at the western part of the Iskenderun Bay in Eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Within the scope of baseline studies during the EIA phase, the soil characteristics of the area located in the vicinity of the power plant were determined. The distribution and characteristics of main soil groups in the study area were determined with desktop, laboratory and field studies. Particularly focusing on seasonal wind and land use patterns, topsoil samples (0-30 cm) were taken from 22 different points within a predicted impact area (28,000 ha) surrounding the power plant site. Their physical and chemical properties were analyzed. Potential soil quality impacts of the SPP (e.g., acidification) were investigated by using qualitative and quantitative methods. Consequently, a series of mitigation measures were developed to protect soil and land resources, which include a prudent layout avoiding, lands with agricultural and landscape value. According to the analyses results and site surveys, a monitoring program is recommended for the stack gas emissions. In this regard, the areas that may require lime application to control acidification could be recognized. © OECD 2003

East Mediterranean region sickle cell disease mortality trial: retrospective multicenter cohort analysis of 735 patients

PubMedID: 27068408Sickle cell disease (SCD), one of the most common genetic disorders worldwide, is characterized by hemolytic anemia and tissue damage from the rigid red blood cells. Although hydroxyurea and transfusion therapy are administered to treat the accompanying tissue injury, whether either one prolongs the lifespan of patients with SCD is unknown. SCD-related mortality data are available, but there are few studies on mortality-related factors based on evaluations of surviving patients. In addition, ethnic variability in patient registries has complicated detailed analyses. The aim of this study was to investigate mortality and mortality-related factors among an ethnically homogeneous population of patients with SCD. The 735 patients (102 children and 633 adults) included in this retrospective cohort study were of Eti-Turk origin and selected from 1367 patients seen at 5 regional hospitals. A central population management system was used to control for records of patient mortality. Data reliability was checked by a data supervision group. Mortality-related factors and predictors were identified in univariate and multivariate analyses using a Cox regression model with stepwise forward selection. The study group included patients with homozygous hemoglobin S (Hgb S) disease (67 %), Hb S-ß0 thalassemia (17 %), Hgb S-ß+ thalassemia (15 %), and Hb S-? thalassemia (1 %). They were followed for a median of 66 ± 44 (3–148) months. Overall mortality at 5 years was 6.1 %. Of the 45 patients who died, 44 (6 %) were adults and 1 (0.1 %) was a child. The mean age at death was 34.1 ± 10 (18–54) years for males, 40.1 ± 15 (17–64) years for females, and 36.6 ± 13 (17–64) years overall. Hydroxyurea was found to have a notable positive effect on mortality (p = 0.009). Mortality was also significantly related to hypertension and renal damage in a univariate analysis (p = 0.015 and p = 0.000, respectively). Acute chest syndrome, splenic sequestration, and prolonged painful-crisis-related multiorgan failure were the most common causes of mortality. In a multivariate analysis of laboratory values, only an elevated white blood cell count was related to mortality (p = 0.009). These data show that despite recent progress in the treatment of SCD, disease-related factors continue to result in mortality in young adult patients. Our results highlight the importance of evaluating curative treatment options for patients who have an appropriate stem cell donor in addition to improving patient care and patient education. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Factors effecting influenza vaccination uptake among health care workers: a multi-center cross-sectional study

Background: The present study aimed to identify factors affecting vaccination against influenza among health professionals. Methods: We used a multi-centre cross-sectional design to conduct an online self-administered questionnaire with physicians and nurses at state and foundation university hospitals in the south-east of Turkey, between 1 January 2015 and 1 February 2015. The five participating hospitals provided staff email address lists filtered for physicians and nurses. The questionnaire comprised multiple choice questions covering demographic data, knowledge sources, and Likert-type items on factors affecting vaccination against influenza. The target response rate was 20 %. Results: In total, 642 (22 %) of 2870 health professionals (1220 physicians and 1650 nurses) responded to the questionnaire. Participants' mean age was 29.6 +/- 9.2 years (range 17-62 years); 177 (28.2 %) were physicians and 448 (71.3 %) were nurses. The rate of regular vaccination was 9.2 % (15.2 % for physicians and 8.2 % for nurses). Increasing age, longer work duration in health services, being male, being a physician, working in an internal medicine department, having a chronic disease, and living with a person over 65 years old significantly increased vaccination compliance (p < 0.05). We found differences between vaccine compliant and non-compliant groups for expected benefit from vaccination, social influences, and personal efficacy (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed differences between the groups in perceptions of personal risks, side effects, and efficacy of the vaccine (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis found that important factors influencing vaccination behavior were work place, colleagues' opinions, having a chronic disease, belief that vaccination was effective, and belief that flu can be prevented by natural ways. Conclusion: Numerous factors influence health professionals' decisions about influenza vaccination. Strategies to increase the ratio of vaccination among physicians and nurses should consider all of these factors to increase the likelihood of success