Experimental Evaluation Platform for Voice Transmission Over Internet of Things (VoIoTs)

Internet of Things (IoTs) is an example of the last advances in Information and Communication Technologies. In particular, with the revolutionary development of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technologies, researchers largely focused on take benefits of integration embedded low-cost, low-power WSN technology in a various IoTs applications. Real-time voice transmission over IoTs is one interesting application that began to be explored by many researchers. Thus, this paper presents a performance study for transmission of voice over WSN (VoWSN) with and without presence of Internet. A framework using a Raspberry Pi3 (RPi3) and open source FFmpeg technology for processing, compressing and streaming voice to a remote computer is proposed, implemented and evaluated. The performance of the proposed framework is evaluated by studying its behavior utilizing three audio encoding algorithms: AC3, MP3 and OPUS with different sampling rates and a set of evaluation metrics such as :One-way delay, jitter, Bandwidth (B.W), CPU usage and packet losses

The Role of Green Intellectual Capital in Strengthening the Elements of the Knowledge Economy: An Analytical Descriptive Study of the Opinions of a Sample of Managers in the Oil Products Distribution Company /Iraq- Nineveh

The current research sought to identify the role of the dimensions of green intellectual capital in strengthening the elements of the knowledge economy, by determining the level of the relationship and the impact between them and applying it on the Oil Products Distribution Company in Nineveh, the sample of study was selected intentionally. It consists of (100) managers, as it relies on collecting data and information on the main research tool (questionnaire form), a number of statistical tools have been adopted, namely (correlation coefficient, linear regression). Where many conclusions were presented, the most important of which is indicating a case of the actual contribution of the dimensions of green intellectual capital in strengthening the elements of the knowledge economy in the researched organization. It also made a set of proposals, including the need for more attention to be paid to employing the possibilities and capabilities of green intellectual capital (human, structural, social) towards strengthening the elements of the knowledge economy in the researched organization, in a way that, it contributes to enhancing efforts in support of knowledge economies and achieving added value in all directions

The lifestyle habits and wellbeing of physicians in Bahrain: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle habits of physicians are of paramount importance both because they influence the physician\u27s own health and because these habits have been shown to affect patients\u27 care. There is limited information on physician health and lifestyle habits in Bahrain. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study design, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that assesses wellbeing and lifestyle habits was distributed to a random sample of 175 out of 320 primary health care physicians in Bahrain. Descriptive analyses were performed, and the variables were cross-tabulated using SPSS version 20.0. RESULTS: 152 physicians agreed to participate in the study. Respondents were 67.1 % female with a mean age of 45 (SD = 10). The majority were of Bahraini nationality. The most prevalent reported health conditions were hyperlipidaemia (25.5 %), hypertension (20.3 %), and diabetes (11.0 %). Only 29.6 % of physicians reported performing ≥ 30 min of exercise in a usual week. Of physicians exercising ≥ 30 min weekly, only 13 % exercised ≥ 5 days weekly. 98.0 % report never drinking, 1.3 % report previously drinking, and 0.7 % report drinking less than once weekly. The average body mass index (BMI) was 27.8 (SD = 5), with 39 % of physicians being overweight and 33 % obese. BMI was directly associated with sleep time (P0.027, r(2) = 0.034), age (P CONCLUSIONS: There is a clear pattern of unfavourable lifestyle habits and obesity among primary health care physicians in Bahrain. We encourage institutions and public health sectors to be more proactive in assisting physicians to attain healthier lifestyles

The Impact of Website Quality on Online Purchase Intention: The Mediating Effect of e-WOM, Jordan Context

Purpose: The objective of the study is to investigate how the quality of a website impacts the intent to purchase, as assessed by factors such as usability, quality of information, service interaction quality, eWOM, trust, and satisfaction.   Theoretical framework: This research has provided empirical evidence of the factors that influence the online shopping behavior of consumers.   Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted using a quantitative approach, with SPSS statistical methods applied. An online survey was administered to 303 customers in Amman, the capital of Jordan.   Findings: The results suggest that website quality, customer trust, and satisfaction significantly and positively impact eWOM, thereby increasing the intent to purchase among consumers in Jordan's e-commerce sector.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This research offers valuable managerial principles to assist e-commerce businesses in improving their performance. It also provides valuable insights into the evaluation of eWOM and purchases intent in Jordan, serving as a foundation for future research in this area in Jordan and other countries.   Originality/value: this study provides a foundation for future research to investigate the complex and multifaceted nature of online customer behaviour in the e-commerce contex

Demystifying Smoker's Paradox: A Propensity Score-Weighted Analysis in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure.

Background Smoker's paradox has been observed with several vascular disorders, yet there are limited data in patients with acute heart failure (HF). We examined the effects of smoking in patients with acute HF using data from a large multicenter registry. The objective was to determine if the design and analytic approach could explain the smoker's paradox in acute HF mortality. Methods and Results The data were sourced from the acute HF registry (Gulf CARE [Gulf Acute Heart Failure Registry]), a multicenter registry that recruited patients over 10 months admitted with a diagnosis of acute HF from 47 hospitals in 7 Middle Eastern countries. The association between smoking and mortality (in hospital) was examined using covariate adjustment, making use of mortality risk factors. A parallel analysis was performed using covariate balancing through propensity scores. Of 5005 patients hospitalized with acute HF, 1103 (22%) were current smokers. The in-hospital mortality rates were significantly lower in current smoker's before (odds ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.52-0.96) and more so after (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.31-0.70) covariate adjustment. With the propensity score-derived covariate balance, the smoking effect became much less certain (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.36-1.11). Conclusions The current study illustrates the fact that the smoker's paradox is likely to be a result of residual confounding as covariate adjustment may not resolve this if there are many competing prognostic confounders. In this situation, propensity score methods for covariate balancing seem preferable. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01467973.Gulf CARE (Gulf Acute Heart Failure Registry) is an investigator- initiated study conducted under the auspices of the Gulf Heart Association and funded by Servier, Paris, France; and (for centers in Saudi Arabia), by the Saudi Heart Association (The Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [research group number: RG -1436- 013]). This does not alter our adherence to policies on sharing data and materials; and the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The publication of this article was funded by the Qatar National Library

Clinical presentation and outcomes of peripartum cardiomyopathy in the Middle East: a cohort from seven Arab countries

Aims: Published data on the clinical presentation of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are very limited particularly from the Middle East. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with PPCM using data from a large multicentre heart failure (HF) registry from the Middle East. Methods and results: From February to November 2012, a total of 5005 consecutive patients with HF were enrolled from 47 hospitals in 7 Middle East countries. From this cohort, patients with PPCM were identified and included in this study. Clinical features, in-hospital, and 12 months outcomes were examined. During the study period, 64 patients with PPCM were enrolled with a mean age of 32.5 ± 5.8 years. Family history was identified in 11 patients (17.2%) and hypertension in 7 patients (10.9%). The predominant presenting symptom was dyspnoea New York Heart Association class IV in 51.6%, class III in 31.3%, and class II in 17.2%. Basal lung crepitations and peripheral oedema were the predominant signs on clinical examination (98.2% and 84.4%, respectively). Most patients received evidence-based HF therapies. Inotropic support and mechanical ventilation were required in 16% and 5% of patients, respectively. There was one in-hospital death (1.6%), and after 1 year of follow-up, nine patients were rehospitalized with HF (15%), and one patient died (1.6%). Conclusions: A high index of suspicion of PPCM is required to make the diagnosis especially in the presence of family history of HF or cardiomyopathy. Further studies are warranted on the genetic basis of PPCM.Gulf CARE is an investigator-initiated study conducted under the auspices of the Gulf Heart Association and funded by Servier, Paris, France, and (for centres in Saudi Arabia) by the Saudi Heart Association [The Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Research Group Number RG-1436-013)]. This does not alter our adherence to policies on sharing data and materials, and the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Prognostic tools and candidate drugs based on plasma proteomics of patients with severe COVID-19 complications

COVID-19 complications still present a huge burden on healthcare systems and warrant predictive risk models to triage patients and inform early intervention. Here, we profile 893 plasma proteins from 50 severe and 50 mild-moderate COVID-19 patients, and 50 healthy controls, and show that 375 proteins are differentially expressed in the plasma of severe COVID-19 patients. These differentially expressed plasma proteins are implicated in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and present targets for candidate drugs to prevent or treat severe complications. Based on the plasma proteomics and clinical lab tests, we also report a 12-plasma protein signature and a model of seven routine clinical tests that validate in an independent cohort as early risk predictors of COVID-19 severity and patient survival. The risk predictors and candidate drugs described in our study can be used and developed for personalized management of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. 2022, The Author(s).The authors would like to thank all the patients, volunteers, and the healthcare co-workers from Allergy and Immunology Section-HMC, and Dr. Mohamed G.H. Mohamedali, Mr. Hassen Maatoug, and Mr. Ahmed Soliman from Hezm Mebairek General Hospital-HMC for developing disposable racks for samples transportation, tubes labeling, blood collection, and handling. We thank the support provided by Qatar University Biomedical Research Centre, Biosafety Level 3, and Associate Professor Hadi M. Yassine (M.Sc., Ph.D.). We also acknowledge the help of the Anti-Doping Lab-Qatar (ADLQ) and Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) for recruiting control samples. This work was supported by a grant fund from Hamad Medical Corporation (fund number MRC-05-003) and core funding from Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI).Scopu

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk